Regarding the incident happened in KLCC last Sunday (26/3/06), there was no even single word reported in Monday local prime media. Flip through the Star, China Press, Utusan Malaysia etc everyday, there is wide coverage on various protesting in Taiwan, Thailand, Middle East, Philipines and America. However, there is no article reporting Malaysia police use water canon to disperse the anti-government protesters. Its seem that there is not much freedom a media to report a truth even for justice for the rakyat if it touches the issues related to bring severe damaged to Government.
You can't blame them either since much much lessons have been learned from after sacking the top two China Press editors, terminates Sarawak Tribune license as well as suspension of Guan Ming Daily publishing license for 2 weeks and verbal warning to NST and Utusanas as well as other indirect sources of pressure against the free press. In other words, Government is sending a strong message saying that “you must toe my line since I am giving the license every year”.
The Prime Minister made a personal promise seven years ago to study the petition by about a thousand Malaysian journalists for more press freedom starting with the repeal of the Printing Presses and Publications Act. Not much improvent or lenient had been seen instead tightening control of press freedom by instructing GLC Media Prima to acquire private broadcast media, a step to strenghten state control over media.
In view of the numerous critical problems (cronisym, nepotism, corruption, abuse of administritive power) confronting Malaysia, our country future is determined by a responsible, fair and sensible freedom of media to bring about a healthy check and balance to prevent further gross excesses and abuses that would destroy the country.
I totally agreed that Press freedom is useless if it is at the expense of peace, respect and harmony. So, it must be exercised with responsibility and sensibility in relation to the environment one is in. However, our government treated Press Freedom is threatened their autocracy and autonomy.
What a pity to fellow journalist in Malaysia. ‘Press Freedom’ is seem too far to reach.
