Malaysiakini today reported that footage of Perak Speaker V. Sivakumar being bodily dragged out, in Speaker robes and Speaker chair, from the Perak State Assembly by police officers and goons on May 7 Day of Infamy has been banned from being aired on television stations.
Malaysiakini reported that a TV station has video footage of the “enduring image” of the May 7 Day of Infamy – the dramatic moment when the Perak Speaker, in his robes and chair, was physically removed from the Assembly – but Malaysians did not get to see it on the orders of its owner, Media Prima.
Media Prima, which is believed to be linked to ruling party Umno, controls the country’s four free-to-air private TV stations – TV3, NTV7, TV8 and TV9.
According to a source who requested anonymity, the staff were given ‘directives’ from senior managers on the evening of May 7 not to screen the controversial footage despite one of its stations had captured the whole incident on tape.
“We have the entire visuals of Sivakumar being dragged out of the chair. However, we received instructions from the top not to screen it,” the source said.
The directives, added the source, were believed to be given verbally as there was not enough time for the management to issue a written notice.
Despite the directives, one of the television stations under the Media Prima group “accidently” aired the footage the next day – during deputy speaker Hee Yit Foong’s press conference, who was claiming that she did not abuse her power in taking over from Sivakumar as speaker.
“The footage (of Sivakumar being dragged out) was shown in fast-forward mode, but soon after that we were instructed to write a memo to our bosses,” said the source.
The explanation, said the source, is believed to be sent to news and current affairs director Kamarulzaman Zainal.
“We had to write a memo as to why we showed the footage so they would know who should be blamed for it,” added the source.
The television stations were told to use footage other than those from the May 7 assembly in their reports.
“We were told to use archives for our visuals, for example, visuals from the courts and other state assembly proceedings,” the source added.
The source also said that they were not allowed to broadcast footage of the arrests outside the state assembly building, where close to 100 individuals, including opposition parliamentarians and state representatives, were arrested.
Such directives are not new in Media Prima as a TV station under its stable were given similar instructions not to name political analyst Abdul Razak Baginda when reporting on the Altantuya Shaariibuu murder case last month.
This is the latest sign of the return of Mahathirism in the Najib premiership, where suppression, oppression and repression of the fundamental liberties and human rights of Malaysian to freedom of speech, expression, assembly, association, press and information will become increasingly the order of the day and the refuge of the powers-that-be instead of promoting an open society by engaging Malaysians in debate and dialogue.
We are only coming to the sixth week of the Najib premiership, but already there is a long list of ghosts and taboos which the new Prime Minister and his administration are in mortal fear and which are being banned from permissible public discourse – like the mention of Altantuya Shaariibuu, the wearing of black and now the video footages of the Perak Assembly Speaker being physically dragged out of the Assembly.
If the video footage of the Perak Speaker being physically dragged out of the Assembly is so heinous, then the physical violence of dragging out the Speaker should be even more reprehensible – but why has no action been taken against the police officers and goons responsible for the dastardly act although they are openly identified in photographs and videos world-wide?
The Najib administration can ban the disgraceful footage from being aired on television stations but can they ban the playing of the footage in Malaysian homes or being viewed by millions of people world-wide?
Just as the book-banning of tyrants and repressive regimes of olden ages had failed, the banning of video footages, snatching of lap-tops, video players and mobile phones are also destined to failure – as truth can never be suppressed.
The ban on television stations from airing of video footage of Sivakumar being physically dragged out of the Assembly is the latest charade in the four-month Perak constitutional and political crisis which has produced two Mentris Besar, two Speakers, an illegitimate State Secretary, an illegitimate State Legal Adviser and an illegitimate Assembly clerk.
The Perak charade scaled even more ridiculous heights in the past 24 hours, when Perak was plunged into a total limbo, without a Mentri Besar, as Datuk Seri Mohd Nizar Jamaluddin, the lawful and legitimate MB confirmed by the Kuala Lumpur High Court on Monday, has been “stayed” from exercising his powers and responsibilities, while Datuk Zambry Abdul Kadir, the usurper, unlawful and illegitimate MB, could not be deemed to be licenced by a single-judge Court of Appeal to continue to act illegally.
Zambry has the presumption and impertinence to liken himself to Gandhi and Zambry, not realizing that Gandhi would not have countenanced any illegal and unlawful usurpation of power for a second and would have told Zambry to go to the court of the people to seek legitimacy to rule.
#1 by yhsiew on Wednesday, 13 May 2009 - 9:19 am
I do not watch TV news and read the NST/Star anymore.
I get information mainly from the Internet.
#2 by ALLAN THAM on Wednesday, 13 May 2009 - 9:38 am
They scare like shit now as they realized they done something serious against the justice.
They are just a bunch of hooligans
#3 by lee wee tak_ on Wednesday, 13 May 2009 - 9:39 am
the not-so-appealing thing about the Court of Appeal is how can just 1 judge can so quickly issue a stay of execution thingy…if the HC had taken few days of hearing how come a higher judge can simply say, “hey, wait, don’t carry out the judgment because, because because ????”
to a layman like me, totally incomprehensible. if a HC decision can be overturned so quickly, what about the delivery system, the consistency as well as the speed of which justice is administered, can be accorded to all tax payers equally
I heard the Court faxed a notice of hearing to PR lawyers at 10:30am to inform them of the 11:30am one day. Should there not be a required notice period? e.g. company agm notice must be 14 days in advance…..and company agm is less complicated than a court hearing!
#4 by the reds on Wednesday, 13 May 2009 - 9:41 am
Bear in mind, Najib is Mamak’s boy!!! It is not surprising that Mahathirism rules!
#5 by ALLAN THAM on Wednesday, 13 May 2009 - 9:41 am
The effect of black out news they do not want the public to view may not much effect during this IT age, by this time thousands have viewed the way Siva being dragged like a dog from the internet.
#6 by yhsiew on Wednesday, 13 May 2009 - 9:49 am
I believe protection of self interest has stopped learned-people from solving the Perak crisis even though they have the authority to do so.
#7 by taiking on Wednesday, 13 May 2009 - 9:52 am
Why ban. Just dont do it in the first place. Isnt that better. And if you are man enough to do it then be man enough to show it. Anyway, it was wrong to drag siva the speaker out like that. Everyone knows and has seen that already. Banning will not erase or undo a wrong. You may hide it to some extent. But hiding is dangerous. Look at najib. In the minds of malaysians he is as good as guilty of murdering the mongolian woman. If he did not do it he should really come out into the open and clear his name and not hide behind the quaran and some utterly stupid ban on mention of certain mongolian name like altantuya.
A thought struck me. Maybe zambry was planning to do something really naughty and nasty on may 7 in perak – something gandhi would dissapprove of. If not then why did he ban all media that are not pro-umno from covering the event? That means what we saw could well be his plan B – a tone down version of his actual plan A!
#8 by yhsiew on Wednesday, 13 May 2009 - 10:05 am
The person, who banned the video footage of the Perak Speaker being physically dragged out of the Assembly, was guilty of the wrong deed that he had committed.
He hoped that by banning the video footage nobody would know he had committed the wrong deed.
#9 by Bigjoe on Wednesday, 13 May 2009 - 10:06 am
Zambry comparing himself to Ghandhi/Mandela just makes Sivakumar look like Christ being taken away by Roman solidiers or Mohammed being driven from Mecca. All these banning just makes it even more so…
He will return!!! Just wait for the party when he does… It will be like no less spiritual….
#10 by boh-liao on Wednesday, 13 May 2009 - 10:12 am
Sivakumar being bodily dragged out
in Speaker robes and Speaker chair
Got carried out like a ‘kwa cha’/kofin
Where got such thing lah?
PR punya fertile, twisted imagination
Rumor, rumor, rumor
Haven’t you heard
Zombie man of honor
3-in-1 Gandhi, Mandela & King
No treat Sivakumar no repect lah
So said the BN twisters.
Case closed
Next!
#11 by Thinking Two on Wednesday, 13 May 2009 - 10:31 am
The black hole is getting larger and larger so that the whole country of Malaysia will be swallowed in and vanish in the twilight zone created by BN.
Well done zimply!!!!
#12 by Godfather on Wednesday, 13 May 2009 - 10:45 am
Ask Ahirudin Atan aka Rockybru whether he would publish pictures of Sivakumar being manhandled now that he is the Chief Editor of the Malay Mail.
Everyone has a price. Especially those with skeletons in their cupboards.
#13 by Bigjoe on Wednesday, 13 May 2009 - 10:49 am
OK Speakin of Black holes, Just keep reading that Zambry comparing himself to Ghandi/Mandela just made people compared him to Mugabe.. I was actually thinking more of Najib & Geng looks more like Radovan Karadzic and his geng…
#14 by siamo on Wednesday, 13 May 2009 - 11:00 am
This is the 1BlackOutMalaysia that Najib is talking about!
#15 by Ken G on Wednesday, 13 May 2009 - 11:26 am
Govt has lost control of information so banning the dastardly act from national TV has no effect as the clip is widely available online. However it does show their ostrich head mentality. The time when they can cover up by banning news items from the media is gone.
This means not committing shameful acts as they cannot be hidden away but the Umno goons haven’t adjusted their mentality yet.
#16 by HJ Angus on Wednesday, 13 May 2009 - 11:55 am
I guess they are worried more about the people in the rural areas who may still believe UMNO leaders can walk on water!
You mean Zambri did not claim that?
http://malaysiawatch4.blogspot.com/2009/05/malaysiakini-and-why-you-cannot-see.html
#17 by siamo on Wednesday, 13 May 2009 - 12:03 pm
Why are the BN afraid to own up to their actions. If they have the guts to do it, why try to hide. \Lembah batu, sembunyi tangan\.
#18 by UzMiNoOnist on Wednesday, 13 May 2009 - 12:03 pm
If you ever wonder where did the Mat Rempits get to learn their mischievous behavior of rampant disregards for public order, what happened on May 7th is a good example.
Now, it does make me wonder, who are these Mat Rempits. Judging from the behavior of both, it could be that Mat Rempits are the same hooligans from the BN/UMNO’s controlled cops and goons. These fellas are our public enemy no.1, the axis of all evils in Malaysia.
#19 by siamo on Wednesday, 13 May 2009 - 12:11 pm
Rural politics is a one of the elite leading the uneducated. Take an example in Sri Lanka.
The President is very unpopular with the urban people and even the chamber of commerce has passed a motion of no-confidence in the president. But that is of no relevance.
The president support comes from the rural masses. All they need is cheap fertilisers, some kerosene to burn their oil lamps. They don’t care what the per barrel price of oil. It has no impact on them. All they need is subsidy on fertilisers. And Rajapakse is very political savvy. He has never worn a western suit. He always wears the Sri Lankan garb. To the farmers, he looks like me, wears like me, talks like me–conclusion is he is a good guy. What is is political platform, the farmers do not know.
In our case, it is the same. The rural areas and lesser educated people only know that their special rights are protected. The elite will claim to protect their special rights and get on to power. When power is in the hand, the power can be used to help cronies. It is same situation in Sri Lanka.
It also the same with Thaksin.
#20 by Taxidriver on Wednesday, 13 May 2009 - 12:20 pm
If “everything is done according to procedure” as said by Najib, why ban the footage of Sivakumar in Speaker robe dragged out of the Dewan like an animal by ‘gangsters’ who had no business to be inside the Dewan in the first place. Najib should show the footage to the Malaysian public to judge for themselves that he is telling the truth- that ” everything is done according to procedure”
308 failed to wake UMNO up. Hopefully, 1313 will.
#21 by siamo on Wednesday, 13 May 2009 - 12:48 pm
What taxidriver said is so right. If Najib and all claim it is legal, including dragging the speaker out of the assembly, why is the BN government so scared to let the public know what has happened?
Only if you are thief or Mad Rempit or a robber, you are worried others will get to know what you did. “Oh, please don’t broadcast it”. So, if you extend this logic, does it mean that BN are thieves and robbers?
If BN is refuting this conclusion, then continue to show and tell that “what we did, getting the police in the Assembly, dragging out the Speaker with brute force, is BN’s government right. Allowing a member of the Assembly to spray another assembly man is a right of the BN.” Let the people judge!
#22 by siamo on Wednesday, 13 May 2009 - 1:12 pm
Why are the MCA and MIC silent on the whole affair of dragging out Sivakumar, allowing the police in the Assembly?
Mr Ong Tee Keat, Samy, what are your views? Do you support all this? Don’t stay silent! Be a man! If you stay silent, we take it that you fully support the whole affair!
Mr. Samy Vellu, I guess you are going to handle this like the detention of Hindraf. After you lose the election in March 2008, then you blame Abdullah Badawi, that you did bring up the Indian issues, and you said Hindraf should be freed! This is a hallmark of a corward!
#23 by SpeakUp on Wednesday, 13 May 2009 - 1:34 pm
This is wrong but its ok for LGE to ban certain media from Penang State Government engagements? Then with the ban (please correct me if I am wrong) he recently releases a statement about freedom of the press? If I am not mistaken even Jeff Ooi was against the ban. So now … any comments about LGE’s actions?
Why do we care? Its clear even the rural people are being educated by those who have the internet. Let them be … something evil will not last. BN will end up falling on their face but when they do that, is Malaysian society ready for it?
Are we so blind that we even forgive Anwar for his attempts to get 30 MPs to cross over (Karpal Singh says its wrong), that he perhaps lied he will be seeing the Agong to take over. That we allow PAS to court a BN MP for a crossover?
Principles … we demand it from BN but many here have none. We only rejoice when what we want happens, we do not care about principles.
#24 by lesliefkh on Wednesday, 13 May 2009 - 2:49 pm
Watched the footage/video of the 7 may assembly from your blog previously. As i watch slowly especially during the police people dragging the speaker Mr. Siva from his seat. There is a lot of chaostic then..then saw a blue sky collar shirt (could be a plain clothes policeman) searching something at his back pants..something black/brown color thing at his back. The video is nt clear. Presummed it a pistol /gun. Question is does guns or firearm allow in that Assembly? Why that guy so hesistate to take gun n shoot who..The speaker or Opposite MP’s? What happen if that guy shoot someone or somebody could take the gun & shoot in mist of chaos?
Who are those blue color shirt people (many of them..can enter easily into assembly)?
Pls investigate.. what you say Mr. LKS or Public or IGP?
#25 by siamo on Wednesday, 13 May 2009 - 3:26 pm
Gun is one issue.
Most important, who made the decision to allow the police into the Assembly. I don’t think it is Zambry? It has to be some mightier hand.
As I said, it is now a national issue. Why is the stand of MCA, MIC, Gerakan, SNAPP, SUPP…. on this one? Silence is not an option. The people need to know. The sanctity of a democratic institution has been violated.
#26 by TomThumb on Wednesday, 13 May 2009 - 9:01 pm
waa …?
#27 by TomThumb on Wednesday, 13 May 2009 - 9:02 pm
speak up! i cannot hear ya …!
#28 by kerishamuddinitis on Wednesday, 13 May 2009 - 10:08 pm
Blacking out a distasteful sequence that reflects badly on BN is one thing but laundering lies and then systematically sanitising those lies to turn them into truth is quite another!
MSM is now refering to Dumbry, the newly self-declared Dumbdela and self-proclaimed Dumbdhi, as the ‘INCUMBENT MB’!
The blatant lies they are now spinning into ‘truth’ are desperate attempts to buttress their fast-waning relevance with their OWN UMNO idiots and those gullible kampung folk from all communities.
The more aware, enlightened and astute amongst their own ranks have already started to break ranks with the leadership and ARE QUESTIONING their idiotic desperate illegal actions.
Dumbry, the Dumbdela and Dumbdhi of the cesspool of thieves and robbers of the rakyat’s right to determine the government we want, ought to know YOU CAN FOOL SOME PEOPLE ALL OF THE TIME, ALL PEOPLE SOME OF THE TIME BUT NEVER, ALL OF THE PEOPLE ALL OF THE TIME.
DUMBRY, the more you deny the people, the more reasons the people will have to deny the entire cesspool of BN liars and thieves come GE13.
#29 by lopez on Wednesday, 13 May 2009 - 10:26 pm
dont woory , some smart goon within them would direct.a few days later everythin will be forgotten,
get the media put out some worrisome news about bad weather or apparent earthy dangers..this will keept them bussy
or put a advance notice like the petrol prices awill nail harga and start a lenghty favourite forum on fuel hikes,
then lower it sensationalised what goons can do for the nation….?huh again same trick ka?
#30 by lopez on Wednesday, 13 May 2009 - 10:31 pm
bro…no need wait for mickey mouse and lots of air
you still sympathetic to their demise ?
it already six down under…graceful disappearance , give them chance to rejoin society if they are accepted.
#31 by ekans on Wednesday, 13 May 2009 - 11:03 pm
Media Prima, which is believed to be linked to ruling party Umno, controls the country’s four free-to-air private TV stations – TV3, NTV7, TV8 (8TV actually..) and TV9.
Media Prima is not only believed to be linked, but is actually linked to UMNO.
The closest is TV3.
During the last UMNO general assembly, it’s not enough for the federal government run RTM’s TV1 to show it live; TV3 had also simultaneously done the same.
What other political party in Malaysia had received such a ‘grand’ treatment??
#32 by kerishamuddinitis on Wednesday, 13 May 2009 - 11:19 pm
Nizar wins, STAR front page screams ‘CRISIS DEEPENS’
Zambry gets a stay on the high Court decision, STAR front page coos ‘STATE OF FLUX’
STAR is no longer a newspaper with independent critical thought put into their reports. It is now officially a party organ, a party mouthpiece.
Not that they have been a newspaper before, it is just that now, they are blatantly a political party organ! And they offer no excuses nor apologies!
What they worry? Over 250,000 Malaysians are still buying STAR!
#33 by riversandlakes on Wednesday, 13 May 2009 - 11:32 pm
Never mind state media, guys. Let’s spread word on these.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnaqFIzvCCw
http://tr.youtube.com/watch?v=sSgt-3uZeBg
#34 by ekans on Wednesday, 13 May 2009 - 11:48 pm
Today at 13:34.52, SpeakUp said:
This is wrong but its ok for LGE to ban certain media from Penang State Government engagements? Then with the ban (please correct me if I am wrong) he recently releases a statement about freedom of the press? If I am not mistaken even Jeff Ooi was against the ban. So now … any comments about LGE’s actions?
If I’m not mistaken, LGE’s ban was imposed on NST because he has alleged that he had been misquoted by NST in its publications.
But let’s not forget that NST did dedicate almost half of its pages to the UMNO general assembly almost 2 months ago.
What other political party in Malaysia has been given such a ‘generous’ treatment by NST?
Since LGE is a political opponent of UMNO’s BN, it’s likely that there’s some truth in his allegations against NST.
Today at 13:34.52, SpeakUp said:
Why do we care? Its clear even the rural people are being educated by those who have the internet. Let them be … something evil will not last. BN will end up falling on their face but when they do that, is Malaysian society ready for it?
How long has it been that UMNO’s BN had fell on their faces in Kelantan?
The people of Kelantan had already been more than ready for it for the past several decades.
The 12th general election had also shown that the people of Kedah, Penang, Perak and Selangor were already ready for it.
So, are the people in the rest of the country ready for it?
Looks like only time will tell…
Today at 13:34.52, SpeakUp said:
Are we so blind that we even forgive Anwar for his attempts to get 30 MPs to cross over (Karpal Singh says its wrong), that he perhaps lied he will be seeing the Agong to take over. That we allow PAS to court a BN MP for a crossover?
Yes, not everyone in PR approves of party hopping/crossover MPs & ADUNs.
However, as if in a pre-emptive twist of fate, the biggest real damage from party hopping/crossover/defection was not caused by Anwar or PAS, but by the Pekan MP from UMNO’s BN, as we all have already seen and are still seeing in the state of Perak D.R.
Today at 13:34.52, SpeakUp said:
Principles … we demand it from BN but many here have none. We only rejoice when what we want happens, we do not care about principles.
Indeed, a really strongly principled person is rare nowadays when being faced with all sorts of temptations.
But considering problems like political crisis, scandals, corruption, etc, which are caused by unprincipled acts committed mostly by whom, UMNO’s BN or PR??
#35 by ekans on Thursday, 14 May 2009 - 12:02 am
Dear kerishamuddinitis,
Not everybody who buys the STAR believes that its local political news reports is 100% objective and accurate.
Most buy it not for just politics, but because it is the local English language daily with the most number of pages.
NST is not as popular because it has less pages.
I think that the Malay Mail is worst and should be distributed free like the SUN…
#36 by kerishamuddinitis on Thursday, 14 May 2009 - 7:34 am
Hi Ekans,
Whatever the reasons people buy the STAR for, each sale each day of the STAR is an acceptance of it’s blatant role as a party organ. I am not even talking about not being objective – I am talking about the STAR playing a key role in twisting the facts, being central to the whole process of laundering lies and spining them into ‘truths’ and then subsequently over time because it is repeated often enough, LIES become TRUTH!
I used to buy the STAR. I used to enjoy reading the STAR. Even at that time, I had politically aware friends tell me it was packed with lies. I didn’t believe it.
Until the day I marched with 100,000 people, all in yellow, and then read the STAR report 4,000! Their reporters and photographers must be blind, stupid and clueless.
I stopped buying the STAR. I stopped buying MSM newspapers. Now, I can see the lies and how the spinning takes place. Because blogosphere has a lot more truth in it than all the MSM put together!
#37 by Thinking Two on Thursday, 14 May 2009 - 10:40 am
If not, the Editor would not get the Datuk title lah!!!!!
We no longer watch TV and read local newspapers.