Archive for July 14th, 2012

Day of infamy for Malaysian journalism – Utusan Malaysia defending the indefensible instead of apologizing for being foremost “Lies-paper” in Malaysia

Today is a day of infamy for Malaysian journalism – with the UMNO publication Utusan Malaysia defending the indefensible instead of apologizing for being the foremost “Lies-paper” in Malaysia in the past three years under the premiership of Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

At a forum on social media organized by Biro Tata Negara (BTN) of the Prime Minister’s Department and the 1Malaysia Social Media Convention secretariat, Utusan Malaysia’s deputy chief editor Mohd Zaini Hassan claimed that media practitioners are allowed to spin the facts to paint a “desired picture” to the reader and to launch a “gentlemanly attack” against the Opposition.

Claiming that there are three categories of “fact, spin and blatant lies”, Zaini purports to distance himself from “lies” but gives his approval to “spin”, saying: “Spin we can; no matter how we spin a certain fact to be biased in our favour, that’s okay.”

Zaini is insulting the intelligence of Malaysians in trying a “spin of all spins” attempting to pass off lies and blatant lies as mere “spin”!

Spin must clearly be delineated from lies and blatant lies. Spin occurs when facts are linked in a deceptive way that attempts to portray an individual or organization in the best or worst possible light.

But what Utusan had been most guilty off in the past three years is not just deception through “spinning” certain facts while omitting other facts, but the retailing of downright lies and falsehoods. Read the rest of this entry »

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Public gave RM143,000 towards Pua’s Syabas suit damages

By Ida Lim
The Malaysian Insider
Jul 14, 2012

KUALA LUMPUR, July 14 — In just one week, tens of thousands of Malaysians rallied around the DAP’s Tony Pua and donated RM143,256, nearly three-fourths of the RM200,000 in damages he owed water company Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor Sdn Bhd (Syabas) after losing a defamation lawsuit last month.

The opposition party had started an online campaign to raise RM100,000 to help the federal lawmaker pay the amount by July 16, but the financial support from the public was beyond expectation.

“As at 4pm 13/7/12 (Fri), the online donation campaign has raised RM143,256, a remarkable achievement of small contributions from tens of thousands of Malaysians in less than a week,” Pua wrote on his Facebook page this morning.

He also said that the party “will end the online fund-raiser today.”

Last month, Syabas had won a defamation suit against the DAP national publicity secretary, who was ordered to pay RM200,000 in damages besides costs and interests.

Although Pua has filed an appeal against the decision, he had said on micro-blogging site Twitter that Syabas wants him to pay the RM200,000 by July 16.

He has also said today that Syabas was seeking an additional RM80,000 in costs, but the amount is still under negotiations. Read the rest of this entry »

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Selepas berjumpa PM, bekas wakil-wakil rakyat bersungut

— Aspan Alias
The Malaysian Insider
Jul 13, 2012

13 JULAI — Rupa-rupanya semalam PM Najib Razak telah memanggil semua bekas-bekas wakil rakyat Barisan Nasional seluruh negara ke kediaman beliau untuk meminta bantuan untuk BN menghadapi pilihanraya yang paling getir buat parti pemerintah sejak negara merdeka.

Dalam keadaan sebegini tentulah sebab kenapa mereka dipanggil itu ialah kerana Najib tidak begitu yakin meraih kemenangan apabila menghadapi parti-parti “alternative” dalam PRU akan datang ini.

Dua orang bekas Adun dan seorang bekas ahli parlimen telah menghubungi saya dan ketiga-tiga orang ini mempunyai cerita yang sama.

“Dah nak tergolek baru panggil kami,” kata salah seorang yang menghubungi saya itu.

Menurut kata ahli Mubarak itu, Najib mengakui yang tekanan terhadap Umno dan BN sangat kuat dan pihak Pakatan Rakyat begitu serius dalam usaha untuk ke Putrajaya itu. Read the rest of this entry »

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