idiotic utusan

From: DAP MALAYSIA <dap.malaysia@p...>
Date: Wed Mar 7, 2001 5:27pm
Subject: [BUNGARAYA] Utusan - stop irresponsible/anti-national journalism

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
This is the list for the Democratic Action Party of Malaysia. To subscribe,
send "subscribe" in email body to <bungaraya-request@l...>
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Media Statement by DAP National Chairman Lim Kit Siang in Petaling Jaya on
Wednesday, March 7, 2001:

Utusan Malaysia should stop its irresponsible and anti-national journalism in trying to create a scare scenario which can only undermine investor confidence in the country
===================================================

Utusan Malaysia should stop its irresponsible and anti-national journalism in trying to create a scare scenario which can only undermine investor confidence in the country.

Its front-page headline today is "Tentera sedia bantu polis - Sekiranya keamanan negara terancam oleh demonstrasi jalanan" which quoted the Chief of Armed Forces, General Tan Sri Mohd. Zahidi Zainuddin as proclaiming that the armed forces would not hesitate to assist the police forces if the nation's peace and the people's security are threatened by massive demonstrations which is planned by certain quarters.

Mohd Zahidi went on to condemn demonstrations as unhealthy action which threatens the security of the nation and people.

The armed forces, he said, would always monitor current developments in the country and if urgent, the armed forces would not hesitate to "intervene" ("campur tangan").

This is a most irresponsible and anti-national journalism as it is
calculated to create a scare scenario to give the impression that peace and security in the country has become very fragile and raised three questions:

Is the country faced with a crisis of peace and security, marked by massive unrests and social instability?

Has the police ability to handle the peace and security of the country come under doubt?

Is the country threatened with such massive unrests and social instability and the police ability to handle peace and security come under such grave doubt that the question of the armed forces intervening in upholding peace and security has become a real issue with the chief of the armed forces finding it appropriate to trespass on police responsibilities as to give comments on the subject?

The Utusan Malaysia report today raises a fourth question, as to whether the armed forces could intervene ("campur tangan") in internal law and order issues on its own decision and judgement without request from the police or directive from the Cabinet?

It was Mingguan Malaysia which carried the front-page report on Sunday that led to the police arrest of Parti Keadilan National Youth chief Ezam Mohamad on the ground that Ezam had said that he was launching street demonstrations every day to topple the government - which had been denied by Ezam.

Utusan Malaysia is clearly trying to create a scare situation in the country giving the impression that chaos is about to replace peace and security in the country so as to justify high-handed and repressive police action against the Barisan Alternative leaders, members and supporters.

This is most irresponsible and anti-national, as in the age of instant communications in the era of IT, such irresponsible creation of a scary scenario in the country to the extent that army intervention to maintain peace and security has become a serious option, could only frighten off investors and undermine Malaysia's investment climate.

The country is not on the threshhold of a people's uprising, threatening violence and chaos to overthrow the elected government led by Datuk Seri Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, although he is now the most unpopular Prime Minister in the country and most unpopular in his 20 years as Prime Minister. In fact, he is probably the most unpopular UMNO President even among UMNO members in UMNO history - never having to face party elections since the formation of UMNO Baru in 1988.

However, the Barisan Alternative remains committed to the democratic and constitutional process and there has never been any campaign or plan to topple the Barisan Nasional government by street protests.

The DAP has made it an essential creed of our political struggle in the past 35 years that we are committed to political change through the peaceful and democratic process and not by any violent or unconstitutional means.

The government on the other hand should respect the fundamental rights of Malaysians to the freedom of speech, assembly and association and should take note that Suhakam is drawing up a code of guidelines whereby peaceful assemblies could be conducted by Malaysians to express their concerns and grievances to the government in an orderly, peaceful and democratic manner.

Suhakam should take note of the irresponsible and anti-national journalism of Utusan Malaysia and its attempt to create a scare scenario to justify new repression and even more massive violation of human rights of Malaysians.

- Lim Kit Siang -

From: DAP MALAYSIA <dap.malaysia@p...>
Date: Fri Mar 30, 2001 1:34pm
Subject: [BUNGARAYA] Anwar's health: Utusan Malaysia guilty of "false news"

-----------------------------------------------------------
This is the list for the Democratic Action Party of Malaysia. To subscribe,
send "subscribe" in email body to <bungaraya-request@l...>
-----------------------------------------------------------

Media Statement by DAP National Chairman Lim Kit Siang in Petaling Jaya on
Friday, 30th March 2001:

Mahathir should explain what iron-clad guarantees he want to ensure Anwar will not flee in order to allow the latter to go to Munich for specialist back surgery
=====================================

The Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad on Wednesday accused his
jailed former deputy, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, of trickery and trying to flee Malaysia by seeking spinal surgery overseas.

'If he goes, he will not return,' the premier told a public rally organised by the Viewers, Listeners and Reader Club in Gombak which was telecast live. 'We know why he wants to leave the country.'

At last, Mahathir has given the real reason why the government is denying Anwar permission to go overseas for specialist back surgery.

All the reasons which had been given by the various Ministers were just "red
herrings", and the biggest "red herring" of all was the statement by the Health Minister, Datuk Chua Jui Meng suggesting that Anwar would be unpatriotic, anti-national and disloyal if he does not dispense with the services of Dr. Thomas Hoogland after he had committed the sin of unethical distortion of Dr. Hoogland's recommendation into an attack on Malaysia as a "banana republic", Malaysia's healthcare system and the nation's anaesthetists.

Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said that there was no reason
for Anwar to ask to go overseas because Malaysian medical experts say the
operation can be performed in Malaysia.

Foreign Minister, Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar said Anwar was disallowed from
undergoing spinal surgery abroad "as he is still a prisoner convicted under our law", making it "unreasonable to transfer or give permission for him to be out of the country".

Now that the real reason why Mahathir and the government does not allow Anwar to go to Munich for specialist back surgery is out into the open, Mahathir should state what iron-clad guarantees he want before allowing Anwar to go overseas for specialist back surgery.

I have no doubt that Anwar and Datin Seri Dr. Wan Azizah Wan Ismail can work out such iron-clad guarantees with the authorities satisfactory to all parties concerned, including the Prime Minister himself.

I am sure the assistance of the German government could also be sought to
facilitate the fulfilment of such iron-clad guarantees.

If my services are required to work out such iron-clad guarantees, I am always available.

In this connection, the front-page report in today's Utusan Malaysia entitled "Bekas Duta Amerika hadiri pertemuan sulit Keadilan" in connection with the Keadilan's briefing for the diplomatic corps and NGOs leaders on Anwar's health situation at Shah Motel, Petaling Jaya yesterday is most unfortunate in containing false news, an offence under the Printing Presses and Publications Act.

Utusan Malaysia reported that among opposition leaders who attended this
"secret briefing" were DAP Secretary-General Kerk Kim Hock and myself. I want to categorically deny attending any such Keadilan briefing on Anwar's health situation at the hotel yesterday, and we are seriously considering lodging police reports against the Utusan Malaysia for the offence of publishing "false news", as the report carried the serious insinuation that the Opposition leaders were disloyal in consorting with foreign powers to work against the national interests of Malaysia.

- Lim Kit Siang -

From: "Parti Rakyat Malaysia" <p_rakyat@H...>
Date: Sat Mar 31, 2001 12:11pm
Subject: Statement:: Utusan Melayu Echoes Lies

UTUSAN MELAYU ECHOING LIES

Yesterday Utusan Malaysia spread lies that BA leaders, namely Datuk Fadzil Noor, PAS President, Lim Kit Siang, DAP National Chairman, Dr Syed Husin
Ali, PRM President and Kerk Kim Hock, DAP Secretary General, attended a briefing that was given by Dr Wan Azizah Ismail and Anwar’s lawyer on his health. It also blatantly lied that the former US Ambassador, John Mallot, was present too, whereas he is nowhere in Malaysia now.

We have exposed Utusan Malaysia’s lies. But today, Utusan Melayu, it sister daily, echoes the same lies about the BA leaders being present. Based on the Utusan Malaysia lies, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad helped to spread them further by his uncalled for comments in Negri Sembilan
yesterday. The Prime Minister appears to have become less and less responsible of late. Of course leaders of BA will not allow any foreign power to determine the future of this country. But what is wrong with
briefing foreign diplomats once in a while. Doesn’t the government also occasionally give briefings to foreign diplomats?

Dr Mahathir says that local issues should be settled locally, and we agree with him on this matter. But unfortunately there is no sign that he is interested in settling problems; instead he proves to be a master at creating them, by perpetrating lies with the help of his crony editors in the controlled media. Further, Dr Mahathir has also been prone to raising
and lying at several international fora about local political issues that involve his own interests. Remember how he repeated his lies that Anwar’s injuries in prison were self-inflicted? Of course, a commission of inquiry
later proved that they were inflicted by the former Inspector General of Police, whom Mahathir was desperately trying to protect.

Dr Mahathir and the media he controls must realise that their credibility will be further eroded if they continue to undermine the noble values of truth and fair play.

Dr Syed Husin Ali
PRM President

31st March 2001

Bekas Duta Amerika hadiri pertemuan sulit Keadilan

PETALING JAYA 29 Mac - Bekas Duta Amerika Syarikat ke Malaysia, John R. Mallot yang dikatakan ``terlalu kecewa'' kerana Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim disingkirkan dari kerajaan, menghadiri taklimat mengenai keadaan bekas Timbalan Perdana Menteri itu di sebuah hotel di sini hari ini.

Pertemuan yang dikawal ketat dan cuba dirahsiakan dari pengetahuan pihak media itu turut dihadiri oleh beberapa orang diplomat asing. Antaranya dari Kedutaan Amerika Syarikat, Perancis, Indonesia, Kanada, Australia dan New Zealand.

Sumber Wisma Putra mengesahkan pembabitan beberapa diplomat berkenaan dalam pertemuan tersebut.

Utusan yang mendapat tahu mengenai pertemuan yang diatur atas nama Kempen Bebaskan Anwar (FAC) itu telah dihalang daripada memasuki dewan pertemuan tersebut.

Pengawasan ketat terhadap ``pertemuan sulit'' itu dapat dirasai apabila percubaan jurugambar media untuk merakamkan mereka yang menghadiri pertemuan itu juga dihalang atas alasan yang sama.

Taklimat hampir dua jam itu diadakan oleh Parti Keadilan Nasional (Keadilan) turut dihadiri oleh para pemimpin pertubuhan serta badan bukan kerajaan (NGO). Presiden Keadilan, Datin Seri Dr. Wan Azizah Ismail dipercayai memberi taklimat tersebut.

Ia dipercayai bertujuan mendapatkan sokongan pihak terbabit dalam memberi tekanan terhadap kerajaan supaya membenarkan Anwar menjalani rawatan penyakit tulang belakangnya di luar negara.

Pemimpin parti-parti pembangkang termasuk Presiden Pas, Datuk Fadzil Noor, Pengerusi DAP, Lim Kit Siang, Presiden Parti Rakyat Malaysia, Dr. Syed Husin Ali, Setiausaha Agung DAP, Kerk Kim Hock dan beberapa sahabat Anwar dalam Angkatan Belia Islam (ABIM) juga hadir.

Naib Presiden Keadilan, Tian Chua yang ditemui pemberita, mendakwa berlaku salah-faham dalam pengumuman di laman web FAC yang memaparkan `taklimat media' sedangkan ia merupakan majlis tertutup.

Media juga tidak dibenar mengambil risalah mengenai keadaan kesihatan Anwar yang diletakkan di kaunter pendaftaran peserta taklimat itu. ``Pertemuan ini adalah tertutup,'' kata Tian Chua berulang kali.

Beliau kemudian terpaksa memanggil pihak keselamatan hotel dan mengiringi media keluar untuk memastikan tidak ada liputan dibuat terhadap pertemuan itu.

Mallot yang keluar dari dewan taklimat itu enggan mengulas apabila ditanya oleh pemberita mengenai taklimat tersebut.

Tian Chua yang dihubungi bagi mendapatkan maklumat mengenai kehadiran tetamu pada taklimat itu enggan membuat sebarang pengesahan.

Mallot bersara selepas Anwar disingkirkan dari kerajaan. Mereka berdua merupakan sahabat baik dan bekas duta itu secara terbuka melahirkan kekecewaannya di atas apa yang berlaku ke atas Anwar.

Oleh: MARHAINI KAMARUDDIN

Saturday March 31

Was I in PJ? News to me, too!
John R Malott
Laguna Niguel, California

4:31pm, Sat: No one was more surprised than I was this morning, March 30, when I woke up in my California home, logged on to the Internet, and found out that I had been in Malaysia the day before. My trip to Malaysia certainly was news to me, but then - that is the kind of ‘news’ that one reads in Utusan Malaysia these days.

The American humourist Will Rogers said, "I don't care what they say about me in the newspapers, as long as they spell my name right." (And Utusan still doesn't know how to spell my name!) But what Utusan has done goes far beyond bad reporting or a failure to check facts. The article, with its screaming headline that I had attended a secret meeting in Malaysia, is a pure fabrication.

After his arrest, Anwar Ibrahim said, "If this can happen to me, it can happen to anyone." Utusan clearly has written a false report about me - for I cannot be in two places, halfway around the world, at the same time.

But of greater concern, it once again shows the evil that this so-called newspaper is capable of. If it can write such a false and concocted story about me, then it can write it about anyone. When Utusan's false stories are used to smear the political and personal reputations of good people in Malaysia and even lead to charges of sedition, it shows clearly that the paper is no longer a newspaper, but a political instrument.

UMNO credibilty dwindles further as its propganda machine UTUSAN lies again

Utusan Malaysia, the notorious Malay daily, also one of the most prostituted newspaper ever, designed and created to mislead the people and disseminate UMNO's fallacy laden propaganda. Never before a newspaper has been reduced to such a pariah state quality, just for the purpose of safeguarding a corrupted ruling UMNO elite. The latest among its lies is the report that the former US Ambassador of Malaysia, John R Malott was present in Kuala Lumpur to attend a secret meeting with Wan Azizah regarding Anwar Ibrahim's medical condition. The ex-Ambassador was in his home town in California, when the alleged meeting took place. (Malaysiakini: Was I in PJ? News to me, too! - John R Malott)

Such a lie by a muslim owned newspaper, is not only an insult to the sacred religion Islam, but also reflects the degenerate morality of the UMNO leaders who will forsake all religious virtues to mislead the people with their evil machinations in order to remain in power. It is a pity that muslims in UMNO have deserted their religion and joined hands with satan to stifle any challenge to their glamorous political positions where peoples money can be ripped off with unbelievable ease. Utusan Malaysia is a product of UMNO devils workshop, a factory conceived and constructed by the avaracious UMNO corrupt elite to deflect the minds of ordinary people from focussing on the plundering of the wealth of the nation.

    Day after day, week after week, month after month, Uusan Malaysia's single job is to create political illusions, which effectively mesmerises and bewitch a bewildered race of Malays, forcing them to look away from the corruption of the government leaders. This political debauchery, commited by the most corrupt UMNO leaders has benumbed the mental faculties of the people to a point that they have become oblivious of the havoc of the UMNO leaders.

    The Malay unity talk is one such mega deflection exercise, it has suddenly diverted the people's attention from Mahathir's mega corruption such as the MAS bail out debacle, the EPF mismanagement of funds and a list of other corrupt practices where billions of people's money has been sphioned off to companies owned by UMNO greedy elites. The simple Malay gets "pukaued" and falls prey to the media information manipulation, thereby giving UMNO time to restrategise for the next deflection exercise. It is a pity the Malays lack the wisdom to outsmart these evil tactics perpetrated by leaders who refuse to confess their crimes and give up their positions.

    Malays must learn fast to be able to sense UMNO's political trickery, otherwise a corrupted regime will forever exploit them and keep them weak and primitive. Malay leaders who have realised UMNO's dangerous politics must endeavour to wake the quiet Malays to arise and overthrow a worthless corrupt regime that has oppressed the race subtly and has accumulated through ill gotten means the wealth of the nation.

    Utusan Malaysia must be dumped, and ignored by each and every Malay, so that the race can be protected from utter ruin. Let all the Malays realise this great truth and forge ahead to destroy UMNO and its corrupted regime.

Spirit of Truth

Wednesday April 4

Spy-catching, Utusan style
James Wong Wing On

2:45pm, Wed: It is good that Utusan Malaysia has admitted its grave error, and published an apology to former United States Ambassador to Malaysia, John R Malott yesterday. The daily should be commended for this. However, it should not, in my opinion, deter us from examining the original issue critically and from various perspectives.

The issues should be addressed with the positive intention of liberating our media and journalists from the mental, psychological and ideological shackles of the quixotic Cold Warriors.

On April 30, Utusan Malaysia front-paged a report headlined ‘Bekas duta Amerika hadiri pertemuan sulit Keadilan’( Former US ambassador attends secret meeting with Keadilan).The report claimed Malott was present in the close-door briefing on former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim’s state of health at a hotel in Petaling Jaya (a day earlier).

However, the truth of the matter is that at the material date and time, Malott was in California and that the briefing session was organized by Anwar’s family for invited guests, including foreign diplomats. Among the diplomats present were two from the US embassy, James F Entwistle and Alexis Ludwig.

The US embassy in Kuala Lumpur confirmed the attendance of the two diplomats whereas Malott personally and openly denied he was in Malaysia at the given date and time.

Utusan Malaysia was factually wrong. How could such an error or mistake spearheaded by a sensational and highly imaginative headline, make its way to the front-page of a mainstream newspaper?

Mistaken identity

According to the daily’s apology, the error occurred due to a mistaken identity.

Assuming we accept this account, one can’t help but ask: How can a newspaper report confirm the presence or absence of a person or a group of persons whom it regards as ‘controversial’ and ‘powerful’, without its own reporter on the spot, and merely ‘berlandaskan maklumat yang boleh dipercayai’(based on reliable information)?

This reminds me of another Utusan Malaysia report dated Oct 4, 1998 which suggested that a group of pro-reformasi female demonstrators were prostitutes (pelacur-pelacur) hired by non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

More than a week later the then police chief of Kuala Lumpur Kamaruddin Ali openly denied the validity of the report.

While we could question the reasonableness of the Printing Presses and Publications Act, and its selective enforcement, the fact remains that publishing ‘false news’ is a criminal offence under the law.

Propaganda elements

Whichever account we choose to believe, it is clear that Utusan Malaysia's report on the ‘secret briefing’ seems to carry strong elements of propaganda and psychological warfare.

It gives the impression that Barisan Alternatif leaders are ‘conspiring with foreign powers’ to do something ‘sinister or unspeakable’ against their country. Thus the choice of words like “pertemuan sulit” (secret meeting).

In my judgement as a normal human being, I do not see any ‘secrecy’ in the conduct of the close-door briefing, whatever its contents may be. The meeting was called by the family of Anwar Ibrahim.

I saw the notice about the alleged ‘secret meeting’ posted on the freeanwar.com website several days before. Many journalists were aware about it, although not all were invited.

Perhaps, Utusan Malaysia’s sense of self-importance is so great that for it not to be invited to attend an event, would amount to that event being a ‘secret meeting’ in the spy-catchers' sense of the word.

Journalists or spooks?

The reality is, Utusan Malaysia is only one of the many newspapers in this transparent world. What about foreign diplomats? Aren't they all baleful spies? Let us not think too mysteriously or too fancifully in the press room, which has not been empowered by law to be spy-catchers.

Let us journalists just stick to Article 3(1)(d) of The Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations (1961) which clearly states one of the functions of a diplomat is to ascertain "by all lawful means conditions and developments in the receiving state, and reporting thereon to the government of the sending state".

Article 3(1)(b) of The Vienna Convention also states that another function is to protect "in the receiving state the interests of the sending state and its nationals, within the limits permitted by international law".

Under The Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations (1961), not only are diplomats from other countries entitled to immunities and freedom of movement to perform their duties in Malaysia, our diplomats in Washington., London, Canberra, Wellington or Manila too are free to ascertain "by all lawful means conditions and developments" in US, Britain, Australia, New Zealand or the Philippines.

And just as our diplomats are not barred from meeting opposition leaders of other countries, Malaysia should not attempt to interfere into the normal course of modern international law either

Good relations

Under modern international laws and conventions, all inter-national relationships are based on reciprocity.

And it is also wrong to try and project the images of "foreign powers" like US, Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand as if we are still living in the era of Sukarno's Nasakom..These countries are major sources of investment funds and also destinations for our students.

Malaysia is still a member of the Five-Powers Defence Arrangment which links our military with those of Britain, Australia, New Zealand and Singapore. Malaysia also permits and welcomes American warships to dock at Port Klang.

Barisan Alternatif, on its part, should maintain good, normal and lawful relations with all lawful institutions of our international friends, within the boundaries of domestic and international laws because it aspires and strives to be an alternative government.

It is also time for journalists in Malaysia to read up books on modern international laws and post- Cold War international relations to catch up with new realities.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
JAMES WONG WING ON is a former member of parliament (1990-1995) and also a leading Mandarin-Chinese opinion writer and columnist. He read economics and political science at the Monash University in Australia from 1983 to 1986. All views expressed herein are his own, and are open to criticisms and debates.

Another Utusan Malaysia Report

PELACUR DIUPAH TUNJUK PERASAAN DI HADAPAN ISTANA (PROSTITUTES PAID TO DEMONSTRATE IN FRONT OF PALACE) KUALA LUMPUR 12 Okt - Pelacur-pelacur adalah di antara penunjuk-penunjuk perasaan upaHan di kawasan lereng bukit di hadapan

Istana Negara minggu lalu.

Utusan difahamkan pelacur-pelacur itu bercampur dengan kira-kira 300 orang lain yang terdiri daripada wanita dari kawasan kampung dan juga bandar.

Kebanyakan pelacur-pelacur itu datang dari Seremban, Melaka dan juga Ipoh selain dari sini.

Mereka telah dibayar oleh pihak Pertubuhan Bukan Kerajaan (NGO) yang menganjurkan perhimpunan ini dari RM50 hingga RM60 dan diberikan kemudahan kenderaan. Mereka juga diminta memakai pakaian yang bersopan dan bertudung di samping diminta untuk melaungkan daulat tuanku.

Pihak polis telah menyuraikan perhimpunan haram itu yang mendakwa bertujuan untuk mencari keadilan.

Utusan difahamkan beberapa badan NGO yang anti kerajaan sekarang sibuk mengaturkan perhimpunan haram seumpama ini untuk menunjukkan aktiviti-aktiviti mereka kepada pihak luar yang membiayai mereka. Ini adalah untuk menunjukkan bahawa mereka telah membelanjakan wang peruntukan yang telah diberikan.

Keadaan kegawatan politik di Malaysia sekarang memberikan kesempatan yang besar untuk mereka menjalankan aktiviti yang akan membolehkan mereka mendapatkan peruntukan yang lebih besar.

Semalam, Ketua Polis Kuala Lumpur, Datuk Kamaruddin Mohd Ali, memberitahu bahawa kanak-kanak dan wanita telah digunakan sebagai perisai bagi perhimpunan haram sejuta reformasi sekitar Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman pada hari Ahad lalu. Hal ini menyulitkan pihak polis untuk bertindak menyuraikannya.

Pihak polis sekarang sedang menyusun strategi untuk menghadapi tunjuk perasaan yang menggunakan wanita dan kanak-kanak sebagai perisai.

Published 13 October 98 TOP