Syed Hamid Pledges To Review Repressive Media Laws. Can We Trust Him?
Malaysia's home minister has pledged to review the country's repressive media laws, promising to boost press freedom, a report said Sunday."I have told my officers that I want to have a re-look at the Printing Presses and Publications Act so that we can move with the times," Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar was quoted as saying in the Star daily.
He was referring to legislation that requires newspapers and other publications to apply for licenses that are renewed annually.
He added that a publishing permit had been approved for the opposition Keadilan party's newspaper. The party had been applying since its formation in 1999.
Malaysia's media are largely state-linked and kept on a tight leash.
Media watchdog Reporters Without Borders ranks the country 124 out of 169 on its worldwide press freedom index, and says the main media are "often compelled to ignore or to play down the many events organized by the opposition."
But Syed Hamid said he wanted to change that perception.
"We need press freedom in order for us to have a check and balance in government. We are not trying to control you but we want everyone to contribute to the nation-building process," he said.
"Why should we let ourselves (government) become unpopular by having such regulations?" he asked.
Last week, a leading Tamil-language newspaper's permit was not renewed by the home ministry because it had violated guidelines on racial harmony.
Syed Hamid said the publication had breached guidelines stipulating that newspapers should not raise sensitive issues that could threaten racial harmony and the country's stability.
***** On the one hand Syed Hamid Albar refused to renew the permit of Makkal Osai citing unspecified 'violations' which probably means that the ministry has nothing solid to go on. And on the other he's trying to play the good, kind and benevolent politician! How are we to trust such a person?
Going by the past record of Umno home ministers we shouldn't get our hopes up too high. Nothing earthshaking will happen and the repressive laws will continue to remain on the statute books.
Labels: Intolerance, Legal Matters., Malaysia Boleh, Media Matters.
posted by The Malaysian. at 4/20/2008 05:19:00 PM
6 Comments:
Well sir, you answered your own question, and I say Amen to that...
Correct. Correct. Correct. That says it all.
BN Ministers and cronies are trying to put on their best faces to try to dupe the Public again. Surely they must have learnt by now that the Public of all races are no more the silent ignorant type of mutes.
It is over 50 years and nearly two generations have come to pass. But the BN, the Civil Service, the Local Authority Napoleons asnd Josephines, et al still live in the age old Barisan Nasional arrogant days and find it too hard to change their mind set and try to understand that they are dealing with a more knowledgable generation - at least which PKR, PAS and DAP understood to a greater extent and used that knowledge fully to garner more than 80 seats in Parliament and twist control over 4 States.
Do BN arrogant leaders and their lackeys know or feel how relieving it is to see that BN cannot amend the Constitution and seems to be bickering amongst themselves towards hopefully utter ruin of all the existing leadership in all the BN Parties.
If Syed Hamid and his PM and Colleagues have nothing to fear - {they exhibit fear because they cannot survive much more} - they shoulf try and live without the Printing Press restrictions; the ISA; refusal to implement the Royal Commisiion on Police Misconduct; etc safely in their kitty. Oh. How Blessed they are to have all these protective coats around them but still in fear of their own citizens, brothes and sisters. What a stressful life it must be for them and their cronies.
Get rid of all amendments made to the Constitution since the dawn, withdraw all the horror Acts of Parliament WHICH TREAT THE PUBLIC LIKE FOOLS AND DOPES AND THEN COME BACK TO US AFTER 5 YEARS. MAYBE THE BN WILL THEN GET SOME VOTES BUT OF COURSE THE PUBLIC HAS ALREADY LEARNT TO BE BRAVE AND WARY OF THE BN WHICH THOUGH MUCH LEANER BY MPs STILL STALKS THE DARK CORRIDORS OF POWER.
Like Dracula - they do not like operating in open grounds.
So we will swallow whatever Syed Hamid says to us in prophetic language and forget his sayings the next minute because we all know that no politician ever tells the truth.
TRUTH they believe will destroy him or her. They can survive only with lies and false promises until the day comes for them to get klicked out screaming for they will NEVER leave on their own. They are not made of the mettle of MANDELA or GHANDI.
So long. Stop reading the Press and your life wil be much more peaceful and you will not have to live with lies and false promises.
Yeah, one day after he got lambasted over Makal Osai.
Typical of this administration's so-called reform attempts since March 8. One step forward, one step backwards.
Hopefully he don't just cakap kosong only to make the people feel good.
Make sure he do it.
This fellow lied to many times already, remember Al-Jazeera 101 East interviewed him about Malaysia?
Is all nothing but lies.
http://dontkacau.blogspot.com/
Hitler also wanted to free all the Jews in his death camps. Can We Trust Him?
This "stooge" was put in this position so that Pak Lah will divert some of the flak! He can't make any decisions on his own.
If he is for real, then he would first off have ensured that Uthayakumar gets proper Medical Treatment. Then start proceedings to get the HINDRAF 5 freed. Then renew Makkal Osai's Licence. THEN start talking about reviewing the Repressive Media Laws (by the way, they do agree that the Media Laws are repressive then!)!
Come on, we are not stupid lah...we don't believe this clown & neither do we trust whatever UMNO syas anymore!
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