Hantu Laut
Democracy depends on the flow of responsible, trustworthy and accurate information.That's why the mass media has self-regulating "code of ethics".It encompasses truthfulness, accuracy, objectivity, impartiality and public accountability.
Press ethics are self-regulating in developed democracies but, more often than not, compliance by laws in less developed democracies. It differs in form from one organisation to the other. The New York Times has its comprehensive "Ethics On Journalism" here.
In Britain, there is no law regulating the press but most media adhere to guidelines under the "Press Complaints Commission"
In the US, freedom of the press and freedom of free speech are protected under the 1st Amendment of the Constitution, forming part of the Bill of Rights.It also includes the right to peaceful assembly and respecting the establishment of religion and the free exercise of religion. The Bill of Rights prohibit the making of any law to abrogate the rights under the 1st Amendment.
Freedom of speech and freedom of the press do not give free rein to say or write anything you wish or something untrue or not backed by facts. The public, have the right to be protected against misleading and distorted information.
No civilised society can have mass media without moral obligations, restraints, responsibility and accountability.
The problem in Malaysia is not the mass media, they are self-regulating and regulated by licensing requirement.It is the new media, the alternative media on the Internet that have opened the doors to abuse.A 'Carte Blanche' to the world of free speech.Some, are using it to grind their axes.Some, who fancy themselves holier and smarter than thou used it as conduit for conveying unrestrained character assassination and shit stirring.
Here's a good one pitting DPM Muhyiddin against PM Najib, whom the writer considered a good for nothing laggard and Muhyiddin coveting Najib's position.Good try, doctor. A fantastic clairvoyance.What about telling us who's the next PM of Malaysia.I bet it's not Muhyiddin, he just hasn't got the cut or not just yet.
Many have used it to vend their angers and frustrations against politicians, public figures and individuals.It's completely free,unregulated and unaccountable.
Some news portal and blog owners have thrown caution to the wind and think they can shoot straight from the hip and get away with it.It's a dangerous tool for those lacking in self-discipline.
In US and Europe, a number of bloggers have been taken to court for slander and libel.In Malaysia, the first case of bloggers being sued were Ahirudin Attan of Rocky Bru and Jeff Ooi of Screenshots.Whether the case is still standing or withdrawn I have no idea.
Here, a blogger was sued for US$20 million for just using the word 'scam' in her story. The case is still pending.Libel and slander are complex issues.If she lost the case and can't pay up the next step would be bankruptcy proceeding against her by the plaintiff.
Journalists are protected by the big media company that employ them. Bloggers, unfortunately, are not, they are on their own.If you, in any way, think putting a disclaimer on your blog can protect you, forget it, you still can be sued.
Not only you can be sued for your own article, even worse you can also be sued for comment left on your blog that might be deemed slanderous by the offended party.A young blogger here was sued for comment left on his blog.
In the US, politicians and public figures are less protected and opened to public scrutiny and criticism but one can still be sued for libel.In Canada, writing about politicians and those holding public office not backed by facts can get you into trouble.In Britain, politicians are more hardy and can take enormous amount of criticism in their stride.Again, one can still be sued for libel.
News portal like Malaysiakini, Malaysian Insider and hot-blooded Malaysia Today managed to stay in the clean and avert legal actions because Malaysian politicians have too many skeletons in the closet.Some may feel it would be a waste of time and money.
In the event they won the case majority of those sued would have no money to pay up.
They may end up paying good money to chase bad money.
Anyway, don't push your luck, there are some who wish to defend their honour, money or otherwise.Here, Chandra Muzaffar contemplates legal action against a blogger by the name of Antares for his nasty comment in Malaysian Insider.Antares kneeling apology here.
At this moment, only Anwar fits the picture, he has sued many people including former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad.
Also read:
The Economist:Najib v Anwar
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Monday, March 29, 2010
Sabah Leaders:Reactive, Not Proactive
Hantu Laut
Sabahans continue to suffer the inefficiency of power generation by SESB, a company controlled by Tenaga.
Below is an article written by a reader of the Daily Express that appeared in the Sunday Forum 28 March edition of the newspaper which best describe the root cause of the problems and the hapless situation that Sabahans have been placed in by the incompetence and couldn't care less attitude of people at Tenaga and the relevant ministry at the Federal level.
Najib may lose his 'Fixed Deposit' if he does not address the two ills facing Sabahans..... lack of power and lack of health care.
Reactive and not proactive
Click on article to read.
Sabahans continue to suffer the inefficiency of power generation by SESB, a company controlled by Tenaga.
Below is an article written by a reader of the Daily Express that appeared in the Sunday Forum 28 March edition of the newspaper which best describe the root cause of the problems and the hapless situation that Sabahans have been placed in by the incompetence and couldn't care less attitude of people at Tenaga and the relevant ministry at the Federal level.
Najib may lose his 'Fixed Deposit' if he does not address the two ills facing Sabahans..... lack of power and lack of health care.
Reactive and not proactive
Click on article to read.
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Let Sleeping Dogs Lie: Raising The Keris
Hantu Laut
This is just the beginning. UMNO beware, given time Perkasa will grow to be a political force to be reckoned with.
As far back as a year ago I predicted the Malays would contemplate the 'Hidup Melayu" once again.
As much as many of us wanted it the other way it would be a long time before this nation reach political maturity and multi racialism politics takes a footing here. The Malays will not give up political powers without a fight.
Do not kid yourself that there is something seriously wrong with our political system.It is the same every where.The majority leads and held on to political power as long as the electorate allow them to do so.
What Perkasa is doing and with the full backing of former PM Mahathir Mohammad, supports for the cause would swell as time goes by.
"Let sleeping dogs lie" means don't disturb a situation as it would result in trouble or complications and it has.
Zaid Ibrahim,Tengku Razaleigh and the likes wanted to be seen as liberals but they are in the minority.
This is just the beginning. UMNO beware, given time Perkasa will grow to be a political force to be reckoned with.
As far back as a year ago I predicted the Malays would contemplate the 'Hidup Melayu" once again.
As much as many of us wanted it the other way it would be a long time before this nation reach political maturity and multi racialism politics takes a footing here. The Malays will not give up political powers without a fight.
Do not kid yourself that there is something seriously wrong with our political system.It is the same every where.The majority leads and held on to political power as long as the electorate allow them to do so.
What Perkasa is doing and with the full backing of former PM Mahathir Mohammad, supports for the cause would swell as time goes by.
"Let sleeping dogs lie" means don't disturb a situation as it would result in trouble or complications and it has.
Zaid Ibrahim,Tengku Razaleigh and the likes wanted to be seen as liberals but they are in the minority.
Friday, March 26, 2010
Sleazeball Politics
Hantu Laut
The revelation by Zulkifli Noordin that he was asked to link the Altantuya murder case with Najib and Rosmah,maybe, tip of the iceberg.There may still be many of this type of sleazeball politics in the Pandora's box.
There may be truth in Zul's claim.As we Muslims say if you have 'iman' you wouldn't succumb to such evil act no matter how lucrative the offer is.'Fitnah' as we all know is the greatest sin in Islam, unforgivable by Allah, only the victim can forgive the doer.
Zulkifli might have been reluctant because of his conscience but there are other unconscionable individuals who are prepared to do the devil's work.
It makes one wonder how much money had passed hands in this sleazeball politics. I am not sure which came first, Raja Petra's Statutory Declaration which implicated Rosmah to be at the scene of the murder or Bala's Statutory Declaration implicating Najib's sexual relationship with the murdered girl?
This smear campaign confounded by the relationship of Najib with Razak Baginda have succeeded to merge the simple-minded into believing it. The opposition has shown extremity of ill will and dirty tactics that paints a sordid picture of what they are capable of doing.How much does it take to pay the low-life to lie?
The oppositions have also found a new tool to straighten the lie, the use of Statutory Declaration.Any contemptible liar can use it.
To the simple-minded Malaysians the SD is the truth.Some even put their faith in the low-life who are prepared to sell his soul to the devil for the devil's reward. Every man has a price.What would people like Bala fetch if offered the witch's brew?
How many times can a serial and congenital liar change his lies? A scientific study has shown that genetic defect partly contributed to a person inability to tell the truth. In the case of Bala, not less than three times.He made the first confession, withdrew it and now coming back for more.Said he was threatened and paid money by Najib's men to withdraw his SD.This man is not only a liar he is also an extortionist.
To sow the seeds of discontentment and doubt in the minds of the simple-minded, SD may be insufficient to lure some of them to bewilderment, technology becomes handy as mind-bender for the intellectually deficient.Visualization and doctoring images can boggle the mind and the oppositions, surprisingly PAS seemed not to have any objection, have resorted to this kind of muck.Remember Tian Chua, the master forger ? Below, are some of his and Pakatan' supporters handiwork to discredit Najib.
If truly Najib knew this lady there must be photos of them somewhere.Till today, none, including professional and journalistic sleuths, have been able to produce the real photograph.
Here is Anwar response to a journalist who asked him about Zulkifli's revelation.He responded : “It is a very unreasonable statement from a journalist...who is paying you to ask this question?”
Was that an expression of guilt. Just because the oppositions pay people to lie, he thinks everyone can be bought.
Below, he participated in Bala's press conference.
Why participate, if you have no vested interest in it?
Would you vote for sleazeball politics?
The revelation by Zulkifli Noordin that he was asked to link the Altantuya murder case with Najib and Rosmah,maybe, tip of the iceberg.There may still be many of this type of sleazeball politics in the Pandora's box.
There may be truth in Zul's claim.As we Muslims say if you have 'iman' you wouldn't succumb to such evil act no matter how lucrative the offer is.'Fitnah' as we all know is the greatest sin in Islam, unforgivable by Allah, only the victim can forgive the doer.
Zulkifli might have been reluctant because of his conscience but there are other unconscionable individuals who are prepared to do the devil's work.
It makes one wonder how much money had passed hands in this sleazeball politics. I am not sure which came first, Raja Petra's Statutory Declaration which implicated Rosmah to be at the scene of the murder or Bala's Statutory Declaration implicating Najib's sexual relationship with the murdered girl?
This smear campaign confounded by the relationship of Najib with Razak Baginda have succeeded to merge the simple-minded into believing it. The opposition has shown extremity of ill will and dirty tactics that paints a sordid picture of what they are capable of doing.How much does it take to pay the low-life to lie?
The oppositions have also found a new tool to straighten the lie, the use of Statutory Declaration.Any contemptible liar can use it.
To the simple-minded Malaysians the SD is the truth.Some even put their faith in the low-life who are prepared to sell his soul to the devil for the devil's reward. Every man has a price.What would people like Bala fetch if offered the witch's brew?
How many times can a serial and congenital liar change his lies? A scientific study has shown that genetic defect partly contributed to a person inability to tell the truth. In the case of Bala, not less than three times.He made the first confession, withdrew it and now coming back for more.Said he was threatened and paid money by Najib's men to withdraw his SD.This man is not only a liar he is also an extortionist.
To sow the seeds of discontentment and doubt in the minds of the simple-minded, SD may be insufficient to lure some of them to bewilderment, technology becomes handy as mind-bender for the intellectually deficient.Visualization and doctoring images can boggle the mind and the oppositions, surprisingly PAS seemed not to have any objection, have resorted to this kind of muck.Remember Tian Chua, the master forger ? Below, are some of his and Pakatan' supporters handiwork to discredit Najib.
If truly Najib knew this lady there must be photos of them somewhere.Till today, none, including professional and journalistic sleuths, have been able to produce the real photograph.
Here is Anwar response to a journalist who asked him about Zulkifli's revelation.He responded : “It is a very unreasonable statement from a journalist...who is paying you to ask this question?”
Was that an expression of guilt. Just because the oppositions pay people to lie, he thinks everyone can be bought.
Below, he participated in Bala's press conference.
Why participate, if you have no vested interest in it?
Would you vote for sleazeball politics?
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