Wednesday, May 7, 2008

Freedom of Press

I write as a student. A naive photo-journalist. Travelling from one meadow to another, trying to understand just how this world functions. No, I am no political party fan, and no, I do not understand much about what sort of politic game we're happily enjoying today. But as far as I'm concern, after one year as an active photo-journalist following up on various sort of events, including Hindraf and Bersih Rally, I believe nothing and nobody is really honest in this world.

How many times have we heard the government lashing out on bloggers about their boundary breaching words on their blogs? I will not deny as I am a blogger myself have used harsh words to condemn in just almost about every issue that everyone is talking about. While most smart blogger would try to stay away from nasty words, stupid street walker voters would defintely use harsh words, which results in an online wrath between races, because it would usually be;

"Orang Melayu bodohh...!!"

"Cina kalau tak puas hati balik lah China!!..."

"Hindraf....apa yang kau tak puas hati...tak cukup ke batu caves??"

These, are just some.

Today, I went to the Annexe, Central Market book fair. Guess who had a book launch? Bersih of course, with their photo book, SELAK; The Bersih Rally. I was too busy taking pictures of the surrounding to actually sit down and listen to the speakers, not that I would understand anyway. But what captures me most is the 'Freedom of Press' exhibiton. Touching on topics about corrupted news these days served by our very own local newspapers. All is mostly in favour of Pro-Bn and less space for the oppositons.That's when the phrase "Don't believe everything you read" comes in.

Below is a list of 6 national newspapers. The journalists there have calculated exactly how Pro-BN and Pro-opposition these papers are:

Utusan Malaysia
= Pro-BN 82% Pro-Opp 1.89%
Malaysian Nanban = Pro-BN 70% Pro-Opp 19%
Makkal Osai = Pro-BN 66% Pro-Opp 23%
The Star = Pro-BN 63% Pro-Opp 5.5%
NST = Pro-BN 60% Pro-Opp 5.9%
The Sun = Pro-BN 3% Pro-Opp 16%

Pretty shocking stuff lah! But I'm sure, the people these days aren't too stupid to believe everything they read, thus March 8 is not victorious to BN, thanks to freedom of blogging rights empowered by Tun Dr Mahathir. With that, we are sure to get fresh out of the oven news.

Written by Ika, KAED, IIUM

10 comments:

  1. Dear Ika,

    It seems to me that you are currently having a serious trust issue.

    By saying your believe that nothing and nobody is really honest do you mean your parents aren't honest as well?

    Reiterating the phrase that you used " dont believe in everything you read", does this mean that you dont believe in everything you read in Al Quran either?

    My sincere view is that do not generalise things when you havent seen them all.There are still honest leaders and honest people out there. There are still honest and responsible writers and journalists who take pride in writting about the truth.

    before leaving I just like to ask a little question : How sure are you that Bloggers will not distort the facts in what they write?

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  2. kami berpendapat jika pembangkang memerintah Malaysia, keadaan mainstream media tetap sama. sudah tentu media akan memihak kepada siapa yang memerintah. tiada negara di dunia ni dimana akhbar utama negara tidak berpihak kepada pemerintah, hatta amerika sekalipun. contohnya washington post etc. media interaktif mcm al-jazeera pun dilihat memihak. itu yg kami namakan sebagai pendirian. setiap media perlu ada pendirian masing-masing.

    namun keperluan media alternatif adalah bergantung kepada keperluan semasa, hanya jika apabila dirasakan media utama tidak dpt memenuhi kehendak masyarakat.

    namun kami bersetuju dengan 8387 bahawa tiada jaminan bahawa bloggers akan memaparkan perkara yang sebenar. maklumat itu tidak disunting dan kebanyakan maklumat mgkn tidak bersandarkan kepada fakta yang tepat(kecuali blog paneh ni...heheh)

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  3. I conclude to this opinion of mine after a recent visit to freedom of press exhibiton in Kuala Lumpur, where Journalist themselves have come up to this conclusion. I am just delivering these interesting facts.

    And please do not the Quran when it comes to these things as the title reads press , not the Quran.

    I am talking about newspapers and magazine. And that very general phrase to describe it.

    As for the questions about bloggers. Most of us write our opinions, what we think of the current political situation, it is up to the readers to not limit themselves to only one or two blog, but widen their reading and perhaps do better research for their own sake.

    This, is just my point of view. And i think what i say or post up is just like a mere warning to all of us.

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  4. bagus ika. tapi kumpulan generasi baru ada good point berkenaan dimana2 saja atau siapa saje yg memegang kerajaan, media mainstream akan memihak kpd mereka. satu soalan untuk ika, journalist yg dtg masa tu dtg dari pihak mana?

    bloggers boleh kemukakan apa sahaja pendapat mereka dan pembaca boleh berfikir sendiri kerana ada beribu blog yg boleh kita nilai. tapi apa sahaja yg diunjurkan mestilah berlandaskan fakta yg benar dan bukannya fitnah. masalah bloggers skrg ni byk fitnah dan khabar angin daripada fakta. you know what i mean. dan ditakuti pendapat yg tidak berlandaskan fakta itu akan mempengaruhi org yg tidak panjang akal atau tiada sifat tasamuh. tapi saya secara peribadi menggalakkan ika luahkan apa yg difikirkan. kita sesama cari kebenaran.

    p/s: kepada sahabatku Si Buta...kawan2 sebut helo!

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  5. Dear cutie pie IKA,

    Since you said you write as a student and as a naive photo journalist, i would like to throw several questions for you to ponder upon:-

    Freedom of press is a right which is closely associated with Freedom of Speech, a right guaranteed under the Federal Constitution.The question is how do we exercise such right as truly intended by the Constitution?

    Can we just we simply say what we want to say or can we simply write what we want to write?

    In Malaysia do we have any laws,rules and regulations to guide us on how to use such right?

    If there is such a law,rule or regulation dont you think a blogger like yourself should follow the guidelines as required by such law,rule or regulation?

    Lastly, as a member of Malaysian society do you subsribe to Malaysia Ideology of Rukun Negara and how do you connect your responsibility as a journalist (be it i the status of pro or amatuer)with such ideology?

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  6. Dear Ika,
    You are most welcome to join Puteri UMNO..that is the best platform for you to express yourself

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  7. pencak silat ni takdo kojo lain. smuo org nak diajak eh masuk puteri umno.

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  8. Dear Ika, i'm glad that you have started to play your role and get involve in this type of discussion.

    Tentang kebebasan media saya tidak rasa bahawa journalist di Malaysia di kekang kebebasan mereka. Ini pada saya hanyalah hujah murahan golongan pembangkang untuk mencuri perhatian orang ramai...

    Ya benar media2 utama di Malaysia lebih banyak memaparkan berita2 yang berkaitan polisi, keputusan, pendirian kerajaan dan sebagainya yang lebih memihak kepada kerajaan. Namun jika kita fikir secara logiknya, bukan kah itu antara tanggungjawab media? Menjadi ejen perubahan dengan menyalurkan segala maklumat dan informasi kepada rakyat...Setidak-tidaknya, pihak2 media yang dikatakan pro kerajaan ini, tidak bersifat 'offensive' (dengan izin yang di Pertua Blog) dalam menyampaikan maklumat.

    Berbanding media2 alternatif (Harakah dan sebagainya yang sangat pro pembangkang), artikel2 dan bahan2 yang di hidangkan kepada pembaca, bukan sekadar bersifat 'offensive' malah menghina, mencaci dan juga menghasut...ketepatan fakta pastinya boleh kita persoalkan...

    Between the two evils,(based on the opposition's assumption that mainstream medias are evils) which one would you choose?

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  9. Assalamualaikum...

    Secara asasnya Isu kebebasan media dikemukan oleh pihak pembangkang...terutamanya DSAI kerana beliau kecewa cubaan untuk menegakkan benang yang basah melalui saluran utama gagal dan terpaksa banyak berbelanja melawat seluruh dunia demi menafikan perangai dan amalan luar tabii beliau...dan menghina si tua nyayuk (begitu pandangan beliau yang tidak mengenang budi tidak kenal asal usul) yang sebenarnya telah banyak berjasa...Jika bukan kerana TUN siapalah ANWAR IBRAHIM...

    Selama ini pihak pembangkang tidak pernah di sekat malah diberi hak mencetak dan mengedarkan akhbar mereka sendiri..HARAKAH contohnya, walaupun edarannya terhad kepada ahli, sepatutnya tidak menyalahkan kerajaan kerana hak bersuara mereka tidak pun di sekat...seperti kata neraca, mereka malah menghina dan memutarbelit fakta secara terang-terangan...Kalau di internet, kewujudan blog2 adalah bukti bahawa hak kebebasan bersuara tidak pernah dinafikan...Sehingga budak Cina keparat tu menghina prinsip rukunnegara, islam, Melayu malah negara sendiri melalui NEGARAKUKU, saya rasa tindakan yang kerajaan kenakan hanyalah meminta agar beliau membuat permohonan maaf sahaja...

    JADI APA hak kebebasan bersuara yang di sekat oleh kerajaan Malaysia?

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  10. Aku tak peduli siapa nak perintah negara ni sekarang, sebab akhirnya semua akan lupa diri dan jaga kepentingasn peribadi. Aku akan tukar siapa yang aku tak suka sebab aku yang berkuasa, tak percaya tunggulah sekali lagi PRU.

    ( Tapi kalau boleh janganlah pilih selain dari BN sebab aku dah rasa macam2 rejim di Malaysia ni. Orang-orang muda , percayalah cakap aku. Tak percaya tanyalah orang tua - tua. Ini bukan soal ketuanan Melayu ke, hak kesamarataan ke tetapi kerana pengalaman pahit yang mereka tempoh banyak meninggalkan kesan dan pengajaran, tanyalah jangan jemu bertanya, jangan dok main sedap je. Sesal dulu pendapatan sesal kemudian tak guna. Aku mintak sangat-sangatlah orang yang muda-muda ni dan yang tua tapi tak sedar-sedar juga, berhati- hatilah. Tolonglah , aku merayu sangat-sangat sebab aku masih ada anak kecil yang belum pandai bertatih pun.

    Tanya orang Melayu yang dah veteran kenapa mereka tolak DAP. Sehingga sesiapa pun yang bersekongkol dengan DAP dianggap sebagai sama. Sebab tu dikampung-kampung, difelda-felda, dan kawasan majoriti Melayu, (kecuali pemimpinnya bermasalah), pasti mereka akan menolak pembangkang.

    Sebab mereka takut anakl cucu mereka merempat dinegeri sendiri.

    Kalau nak dengar cakap aku dengarlah kalau tak nak lantaklah kau orang.

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