Tsk, tsk. Less than a week in and already cakap tak serupa bikin?
A Chinese online daily was today barred from covering Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak’s announcement of the new cabinet line-up in Putrajaya this afternoon.
The reporter and a photographer from Merdeka Review were told of the matter by Prime Minister’s Office security guards when trying to obtain security passes, half an hour before the press conference began at 3pm.
According to the reporter, she contacted one of Najib’s aides who confirmed the matter, adding that the decision was made by the Prime Minister’s Office.
Commenting on the ban, Merdeka Review editor-in-chief Chang Teck Teng said he would submit a letter to the Prime Minister’s Office tomorrow to protest the decision.
Chang was referring to Najib’s speech to the Malaysian Press Institute on April 6 where the newly appointed premier called on the press to perform their duties “without fear of consequence”.
Najib added that he would encourage a new national debate that would promote transparency and accountability.
“I firmly believe that there is a vital place in that dialogue for a vibrant, free and informed media…
“If we are truly to build a democracy that is responsive to the needs of all the people, we need a media - both old and new - that is empowered to responsibly report what they see, without fear of consequence,” he added.
Hollow, hollow words, Mr. PM.
It doesn’t even stop there. Rocky tells us of a special briefing Najib held for the media:
I was invited to attend Najib Razak’s hour-long briefing for the media after he’d announced his new Cabinet. The briefing took place on the 5th floor, which has been the office of the Prime Minister since Dr Mahathir Mohamad moved the Sri Perdana from KL to Putrajaya in 2003. The last time I was there was late 03 for a briefing by Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who had just succeeded Dr M. I was then the editor of the Malay Mail. This afternoon at 3.30 I was at the PM’s briefing as a blogger.
Hanafiah Man represented Agenda Daily, the news portal. The rest were MSM: The Star editor-in-chief Wong Chun Wai, Sin Chew Daily editor-in-chief Pook Ah Lek, RTM director-general Ibrahim “Tiger”, Berita Harian group editor Manja Ismail, Utusan Malaysia, editor-in-chief Aziz Ishak, TV3 chief news editor Wee Yo Lee, Bernama deputy editor-in-chief Zulkefli Salleh, NSTP group editor-in-chief Hishamudin Aun, and Nanyang editor-in-chief Ching Tien Siong.
Hmm. Let’s look at the guest list. No Malaysiakini, no Sinar Harian…
And hey, looks like I wasn’t invited either. Which is ok, because Nat Tan is a kutu.
But what about Haris? Zorro? Sheih? Anil? Penarik Beca?
I guess you have to have said some pretty damn nice things about Najib to have been invited (ah, here, no one can beat my favourite editor Wong Chun Wai).
Pity. I’m now editing my ridiculously long article saying something like give peace a chance. But with this kind of hypocrisy, it’s gonna be a tough position to defend.
Is this the talk talk but no walk walk we can expect to see in the months and years ahead Mr. PM?
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