Malaysia newspapers’ readers asked to go on “strike”
The Hartal MSM committee of the The People’s Parliament in Malaysia has called for Malaysians to boycott their mainstream media every Tuesdays to protest the false reporting made in them.
Wrote the Hartal MSM Commitee,
This committee comprising 8 individuals was set up in late December 2007 when it became apparent from participants’ comments in The People’s Parliament that there was a genuine concern in society over how news reported by the mainstream media (MSM) did not always tally with factsThe earnest discussions in our blog and numerous suggestions by readers on strategies to address this concern clearly indicated that many treated the shortcomings of MSM with the seriousness they deserved. It also became obvious that some structure and methodology would have to be put into place if the suggestions to tackle MSM’s failings were to be effectively implemented.
Example of false reporting includes,
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On 20 Nov 2007, senior political correspondent Lydia Lim of the Singapore Straits Times reported on the 10 ongoing International Court of Justice hearings between Malaysia and Singapore to decide on the dispute between the two nations for sovereignty over the Pedra Branca. Lim’s report said that the Malaysian legal team had resorted to the use of a photograph of dubious authenticity lifted from an anonymous blog to create a photographic illusion and exaggerate the proximity of Pedra Branca to Johor. This scandal was reported in numerous blogs. However none of the MSM published this piece of disturbing news.
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On 19 Dec 2007, Malaysiakini reported a statement issued by Anwar Ibrahim in which the ex-deputy premier implicated former transport minister Dr Ling Liong Sik and his successor Chan Kong Choy in the RM4.8 billion Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) project irregularity. None of the MSM carried this news item. Interestingly, MSM have also not seen it fit to undertake an investigation into this scandal.
I wonder if any of the PR agencies in Malaysia will openly support or just continue reading their newspapers for media monitoring purposes.
