BN-controlled media have degenerated further to become “blackout papers”


For the past three days consecutively, the Barisan Nasiona-controlled media have degenerated further to become “blackout papers”, over three episodes, viz:

Firstly, over the call on Tuesday by 17 international and national environmental groups and activists, including Greenpeace and Swiss-based Bruno Manser Fund, addressed to the Attorney-General, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Agency Chief Commissioner and the Inspector-General of Police for the arrest and criminal prosecution of Sarawak Chief Minister, Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud and his 13 family members for massive graft and plundering of Sarawak’s rich natural resources;

Secondly, the Penang High Court judgment on Wednesday against Utusan Malaysia for defamation against Penang Chief Minister and DAP Secretary-General Lim Guan Eng for its article “Kebiadaban Lim Guan Eng” of 20th December 2010, and the High Court award of RM200,000 for general and aggravated damages and RM25,000 for costs against Utusan; and

Thirdly, the release yesterday of the latest report by Washington-based financial watchdog Global Financial Integrity (GFI) that Malaysia has maintained its position as one of the top five countries in the world suffering the highest illicit capital outflow in the past decade, 2000-2009, involving over RM1 trillion (US$338 billion or RM1,077 billion) as a result of corruption and misgovernance!

Apart from one small inconsequential paragraph about the Utusan judgment, there have been total blackout of these three developments in the Barisan-controlled “mainstream media”.

Recently, coinciding with the UMNO General Assembly, Malaysia suffered its worst international report card for anti-corruption when the Transparency International (TI) Corruption Perception Index (CPI) 2011 gave the country its worst ranking in 17 years as well as the lowest-ever CPI score – placed No. 60 when Malaysia was ranked No. 23 in 1995 with a score of 4.3 when Malaysia scored 5.32 in 1996.

With the egregious “blackout” of unfavourable news by Barisan Nasional mainstream media as happened blatantly in the past three days, Malaysia’s press freedom index is set to nosedive further in future – as if Malaysia’s press freedom index is not bad enough.

In conjunction with the World Press Freedom Day in May this year, Malaysia was ranked 143 out of 196 countries in terms of press freedom, categorised as “not free”, in the Freedom of the Press Survey 2011 by US-based Freedom House.

After the “black eyes” by Transparency International and Financial Global Integrity, and the bulldozing of the undemocratic and repressive Peaceful Assembly Bill in Parliament, Malaysians must be prepared to suffer more “black eyes” by other international watchdogs for freedom, integrity and good governance in the coming year.

  1. #1 by monsterball on Friday, 16 December 2011 - 5:39 pm

    Newspapers are all under control.
    So is MACC…to act as instructed….or else all top guys will be jobless or life make difficult to work.
    Black out or telling half truths…Malaysians are used to that.
    Come to casting votes…is another story…that no matter how much brain washing techniques applied…vast majority voters want change of government…and are sick of all the lies and deceits…threatening… put forward to fish for votes.

  2. #2 by dagen on Friday, 16 December 2011 - 5:39 pm

    In this day and age and with electronic media gaining popularity fast – no replacing the print media fast – such acts (i.e. blacking-out news) is so so so very futile and is a reflection of umno’s extreme desperate position. I take utusan’s sliding popularity amongst the malays as the clearest indication of umno’s deteriorating standing.

    But I suppose jib still has tower power and ros has hermes beauty. They ought to be reasonably happy.

  3. #3 by jus legitimum on Friday, 16 December 2011 - 5:57 pm

    The Umno/Bn evil power controls all the MSM and treats the public as fools. But we are no fools and we will show them the way out in the coming GE.

  4. #4 by boh-liao on Friday, 16 December 2011 - 9:08 pm

    Dis is 1 of d tragedies of M’sia: BO H00D msm editors
    Dis is Y we must hv a SPRING 2 terminate UmnoB/BN n free d msm: ABU, ABU

  5. #5 by yhsiew on Friday, 16 December 2011 - 10:39 pm

    The “blackout papers” merely imply that Umno/Bn have tacitly admitted their wrong doings.

  6. #6 by ENDANGERED HORNBILL on Friday, 16 December 2011 - 11:09 pm

    IGP, whatever his name is, siad that illicit outflow of $billions is nothing new?

    Well, what do you know? PDRM has had knowledge of this all along & has even frozen assets of criminals.

    Good, IGP – now tell us how many ringgit have you frozen between 2000 – 2010? I have always thot PDRM is more a vigilante witin UMNO to fight PR rather than a national police force!

  7. #7 by ENDANGERED HORNBILL on Friday, 16 December 2011 - 11:31 pm

    George Yeo, ex-foreign minister of singapore joined Kuok group as vice-chairman of Kerry group.

    Hmmmm…..when muhyidin retires, he can join kuok group as assistant janitor for their toiletry services.

  8. #8 by sotong on Saturday, 17 December 2011 - 8:23 am

    Between trusting a newspaper and a government, you will be safer trusting a free and independent newspaper with your future.

  9. #9 by born in Malaya on Saturday, 17 December 2011 - 6:58 pm

    BN’s papers have been covering -up the truth for the past 50 years, only fools believe what they published in their papers.

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