BB has blocked my blog.
At 6.30pm today, I received a text message from a bro at NST. He said the group's IT department had been told to firewall this blog. That means, you cannot access Rocky's Bru from any of the terminals in Balai Berita at Jalan Riong or from any of the NSTP's branch offices nationwide.
I am not the first blogger to be blocked by the NSTP group. In June 2004 Kalimullah Hassan, then the Group Editor-in-Chief of the NSTP, banned Screenshots, the blog by Jeff Ooi.
Today the GEIC of BB is Hishamuddin Aun. I'm not sure if Kalimullah's cigar-loving successor was the one who gave the orders to shut Rocky Bru's out (or, rather, deny BB people the right to have access to the blog).
But if the GEIC doesn't call the shots, who does?
that is a sign of you having made an impact in balai riong. maybe you're just too hot to handle. hahaha!
ReplyDeleteBro,
ReplyDeleteIt's not a bad thing. Think of the notoriety you will generate, enough to get the babes drooling, you lucky rascal!
Deep down, you aren’t that naïve to think that the Balai Berita bosses will let you continue with your dream streak taking cheap potshots at their cruddy facades with nasty little uppercuts, jabs and hooks about their undoing or how they have made the NST come undone. It’s good for you, for your conscience and for your humility to suffer counterpunches. It tends to make you a lot more honest.
While they spew vile reading your much-needed missives, inside the confines of Balai Berita there are minions who still care about free speech and free access (at least paid access through Streamyx and Jaring) and will not hyperventilate easily at the dubious barring of your fledgling electronic endeavour.
The Internet world does not stop nor start at Balai Berita, only for those hopelessly hapless journalists who care so little about installing Internet connections at home, thus depriving them of a wide perspective of news and information, especially when their bosses are striving to control what they should view or not view on the Net, just like they try to control the reading public. Theirs is a uselessly boorish effort.
But for a newspaper of NST's bearing to inflict this censure of bloggers like you will only bode bad tidings for the rag’s future: no longer can the NST declare free expression, or at least semblance of free expression, without experiencing journalistic hernia. But then, there such a thing as painless hernia (my inference, not theirs).
However, the emasculation of Rocky’s Bru (and Jeff Ooi’s Screenshots) should not surprise you. You were there once and you had a feel at how these flacks-in-chief operate, even if you disagreed with their tactics.
At least under A. Kadir Jasin, he allowed dissenting voices, constantly challenging them, because he was supremely confident of his garish arguments and overarching view of how things work, even if you thought of them as “out of loop.” Under Dollah Keok Lanas, well…he was a lecherous loose cannon with a hide thicker than a ghoul to bother with such things (he didn’t understand how the damn things work, anyway).
In the meantime, let’s not ignore the true mission of the NST 2004-2006 Edition: it is painstakingly trying to deconstruct all facets of Mahathirism. If possible, they are undertaking historic revisionism and erasing all the good that Dr M did but boosting all the bad he committed, if ever.
Just like the many politicians and journalists who are wary of Kalimullah Hassan’s motives and agenda, you are an inconvenient cog in their well-drilled operations. You unnerved them and this is how they responded. In the words of my punditry forefathers, you have arrived, so use your blog as a broadsword to slice their spin and make them eat their own dog food…
there you go bru. you're brewing. those weakling at bb must be worried shit about you and us taking them on. those guys have no bola man. they talk about openess of the badawi era. shit man, they are not big enough to walk the talk. they're all talk. ball lickers and spinners. with their papers they can't stand our puny electronic efforts. thanks dr mahathir for giving us this tool. big or small, compact, new malay mail all that shit, these pretenders got no balls to fight fair. they cant even defend their company's shares from tumbling. the guys are humpty dumpty on the jalan riong wall. no, hisham is now firewalling your blog. that dick got no guts. he may not even know that you exist. chomping cigar is the bh culture man. melayu baru. expensive cigars, expensive suits, company of starlets. keep un brewing bru.
ReplyDeletethis is disgusting. what the hell is going on. it has come to a stage where no one in the nst is willing to reveal his identity when posting to you. i heard jango ang has been told to watch his step. i may not agree with you but at least i want to listen to your views.
ReplyDeletethis is an open message to nst and hishamuddin. you think by firewalling rocky's blog you are stopping nst men from reading his blog. you are wrong. why? because nst men also have their own computers. don't be stupid. by doing so you are giving credence to rocky.
ReplyDeleteI knew it was coming. You are considered too dangerous for those pengecut "pretenders" in the NST.
ReplyDeleteReal case of "takut bayang-bayang sendiri".
From - mysweetlady, who aint that sweet.
Kami dah tak boleh baca U punya blog sebab di BH dah kena blok. Ini yang dinamakan blog-bloked. Kena tengok kat rumahlah atau CC. Hairan juga, apa sebab NSTP, sebuah syarikat akhbar yang berpegang kepada kebebasan media, nak blok blog U. Takut kena hentam ke? Sepatutnya berani kerana benar, takut kerana salah. Surat khabar boleh hentam orang, apa pasal pula hampa semua takut kena hentam. U all bukannya betul semua benda. Banyak buat benda mengarut je.
ReplyDeleteRocky,
ReplyDelete"Someone" might be jealous that you're going to be more famous than him, in other way, the someone is so damn sure that, you're writing some "adult contents" that is definitely going to critisize that "someone".
Call that national press? Yeah right.
bro,
ReplyDeleteblocking the brewster can only mean one thing - you've hit a raw nerve, which in turn means there's truth in what you write.
Curiosity and interest will compel those who care to access it elsewhere. quite an achievement for a blog that's not quite 2 months old, doncha think?
cheers
Bro Kaliyuga, I hope you can re-post your comment, minus the expletives. Even without them, you were able to send your message across, man.
ReplyDeleteYou could try using accessing the blog from New Shit Times using proxy servers like Anonymouse (http://anonymouse.org/anonwww.html) or Pure Privacy (http://www.pureprivacy.com/). Go to the main page and key in the URL.
ReplyDeleteCheers.
You could try using accessing the blog from New Shit Times using proxy servers like Anonymouse (http://anonymouse.org/anonwww.html) or Pure Privacy (http://www.pureprivacy.com/). Go to the main page and key in the URL.
ReplyDeleteCheers.
bro, what doesn't kill you will only make you stronger. cheers from berlin.
ReplyDeleteps. a paulaner is just 3 euros here, he he.
You must be saying something right if yuo have been firewalled at BB !
ReplyDeleteDon't sweat the small stuff...becasue in this case there are probably more peopel at BB that wanna read yr blog now that it is banned at BB.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteyou have not done much for MM when you are at the helm and when you are out you criticizied them, served you right for being banned
ReplyDeletechick dis out dudes!
ReplyDeletehttp://daftoi.blogspot.com/2006/05/between-rokk-and-ahirudin-place.html
By the way, some of us at BB can still open your blog without proxy servers, guess they missed a few PCs! And even if they did, we would find other ways. There's only so much oppression one can take.
ReplyDeleteBru, whoever in NSTP blocked your blog has accepted the fact that they pay very low salary to its staff. They believe you guys have no computers at home. Ooi...we do part time job lah...some of us drive taxi at night, but all of us have computers at home lah. Those who don't have, will buy one immediate.
ReplyDeleteAnaktiri
Datuk Manja, dulu masa blog Screenshots kena block, U bising. Macam-macam U kata kat bos-bos U. U kata mereka tak guna akal..tak matured dan macam-macam lagi. Satu BB tau pasal tu. Sekarang, apa pasal U tak bantah bila mereka blok blog Rockybru, kawan U juga. Kita orang tengok dan dengar je telatah U semua. Cakaplah kat bos-bos U tu, kita bukan budak-budak. Kita boleh fikir yang mana betul, yang mana salah. Tulisan Rocky pun bukan semuanya betul. Kita pun kenal Rocky tu. Tinggal lagi dia dah tak ada dengan kita lagi. Dia nak tulis kat blog dia, itu hak dialah. Yang kau tak bantah mereka blok blog Rocky tu pasal apa. Kami harap U cakap lah dengan bos-bos U tu, supaya jadi lebih matang lah...
ReplyDeleteNoni (bukan nama sebenar)
Heheh! So your blog has been blocked eh!Kesian!Firewall right? In Malay, it means Dinding Api! This blocking can mean only one thing lah - the people running the NSTP can't stand the heat you are generating! You are actually an IPP already ! I don't think the GEIC was the one who blocked you - he's so lost as a GEIC and incapable of making real decisions. Hishamudin is quite like the nation's top leader - out of depth. Someone must have advised him. The CEO? Possible. Syed Faisal is a boy trying to do a Man's job! Anyway, you do as you please with the blogging. I heard many NSTP staff are reading your blog. Even if the NSTP puts a firewall, the NSTP guys who want to read will find a way to do so. Kalimullah a/l Hassan may not read your blog as the NSTP is only a stepping stone for him, but his bodek kakis in and outside the NSTP (read Jahabar and Leslie who think they are hotshots) will update him: Hishamuddin is not known as a reader except as a translator for Dollah Kok Lanas: Syed Faisal only reads when someone else reads. Your blog got firewalled 'cos the apple polishers did their job. Tapi, jangan risau Beb! The minute they firewalled you, your readership doubled, tripled! Continue blogging! Bottoms up man!
ReplyDeleteWell done, Rocky. And it only took you 2 months:-) Firewall, blocking, banning blogs? Just goes to prove that BB maybe inhabited by people who are not in touch with reality. Hee hee hee...
ReplyDeleteYou could also try www.unblockthis.com
ReplyDeleteYo brader!
ReplyDeleteKali, Brenden & co must have been monitoring and keeping track of yr blog & it is a matter of time before they firewalled it. And finally they did.
I can justimagine how furious Kali is with you. Ayo, dah suruh belah, tapi masih cause havoc.
Mesti rasa panas, geram teramat sangat dgn u.
To Kali & gang, u are a subversive element – very dangerous to the well-being of the present NST.
You might just be the cause of a rebellion at BB if the reporters continue reading yr blog.!!!
Well done, brader!
Anyway, it tells a lot about Kali and gang - very2 closed-minded.
Rocky, keep on brewing the hidden good stuff. The powers that be at BB definitely have some secrets to hide thus putting up that firewall. This is unadulterated insult to all the journos.....The NST has become very bland. But things should get more interesting in cyber...they have declared war but they have taken out the glamour from this war. Tim Page, combat photographer in the Vietnam Wars, in his autobiography "Page by Page" asked: Take the glamour out of war? I mean, how the bloody hell can you do that....can you take the glamour out of a Cobra, or getting stoned at China Beach....war is good for you, you cant take the glamour of of that. Its like trying to take the glamour out of sex, trying totake the glamour out of the Rolling Stones." Rock on bro. spice it with multiple stengahs of glamour brew.
ReplyDeleteSaudara Rocky and fellow visitors, I seek your indulgence. I've been visiting this blog and I've been reading the spirited debate. Congratulations.
ReplyDeleteThis is a very unque and, possibly, traumatic time for many of us. The world that we know is changing.
It doesn't surprise me the least that this blog has been firewalled by the NSTP. Our successors could be talking about openess and "walk the talk" is their often quoted motto. But their actions suggest the contrary.
You're not the first and the only one to incur their wrath and suffer the consequences. I had, I believe, done that on a number of occasions. Unfortunately, that's what journalism is all about. There are times you soothe and there are times you hurt. That's if you write about the serious stuff. But many editors these days write about nostalgia, about long lost friends, a good book recently read and a tasty roti canai recently discovered.
A year ago (June 5, 2005 to be exact) the NSTP banned all Berita Publishing's advertisements from all its publications. It was prompted by my "Other Thots" column in the Malaysian Business magazine. I had commented on Dato' Kalimullah's column in which he related his intimate telephone conversatations with the Prime Minister. Remember the famous "Sir, you are the PM. You want it on page one, you will get page one" episode?
Despite attempts to get the ban lifted, the NSTP continues to shut the BP out. When Dato' Hishamuddin became GEIC, I made a person approach to him via SMS. He said simply "sukar buat masa ini". I appealed to him to counter check and he responded "the ban is still on."
Berita Publishing may not be spending hundreds of thousands ringgit a year advertising, but I think NSTP needs every penny of revenue it can get. And Berita Publishing needs advertising avenues. We have since moved to the Sun and the Star. We do not have a bahasa Malaysia medium as Utusan Melayu Group too does not accept our ads on the basis that we are their competitors.
So much for successful Malays helping the weak ones -- PM when launching the Federation of Malay Economic Bodies (Gabem)(The Star, June 7 pg 4). I don't think NSTP highlighted the point.
When I talk about the NSTP, I also talk as a minority shareholder. I am a fool, I guess. When others are dumping NSTP shares in these last 2 to 3 years, I keep my ESOS shares. Then again, having put 24 years of my life into that company, I believe I am entitled to be emotional.
Tempat jatuh lagi dikenang, inikan pula tempat bermain.
I again incurred the wrath of our successors in the NSTP when, earlier this year, I wrote a simple SMS to Dato' Hishamuddin, pointing out a cartoon in the NST. I wrote: "c cartoon in nst 2day. Does it not amount to mocking the Prophet (pbuh)?" and it exploded into an orgy of condemnation. I am proud though that my old newspaper, in a perverted kind of way, still "cares" about me.
Maybe we should all attent the coming NSTP AGM. At the very least we can say hello to each other, collect the door gifts and have a cup of tea.
Thank you and good luck.
Dato' Kadir...Kita ajak kawan-kawan semua dok jangan layan depa kat NSTP tu. Jumpa tepi jalan pun buat tak tau je. Apa guna kawan kalau main kawan. Betul you kata, Pak Lah sebut pasal Melayu tolong Melayu, tapi depa ni nak hancurkan sesama Melayu. kalau standard tulis pun pasal Raja Ahmad, apa kelas? Tak ada orang lain nak diangkat ke?.
ReplyDeleteDahtu
Malays are an bunch of moron otherwise they are not in the situation that they are in today. We have a country but we allow others to take over and to run our lives. Now nwe all have to resort to blgspot to view our pathethic unhappiness.Unfortunately I was also a Malay thus making me also a moron. But I wish our esteem Malay leaders should come out of their slumber in theirn lalaland it is still not too late. Rocky you are also a Malay and by virtue of it a Moron like the rest of us being ruled by "others".
ReplyDeleteI ain't no obfuscator, but, given that your blog is swathed in a rasping, hell, harsh demonstration of NST hysteria, allow me to put some matters in perpective.
ReplyDeleteI mean no disrespect, but as an NST and MM man from the 70s, I have seen enough to indulge in wryness, expose small-mindedness and the self-masturbating approach of those calling the shots.
I never thought I would see the day when the NST and The MM would be thrashed to trash.
We took pride in being a journalist with the NST/MM that some of us deliberately did not remove our name tags, even when we were in pubs drinking till past closing time.
Everyone was proud of us. When I returned to my hometown to visit my mum and siblings, I was a celebrity. One football mate kept clippings of my stories. No kidding.
These days, NST/MM journalists are ashamed to wear their name tags. They don't get the respect from the public and the once revered Jalan Riong has lately become a place where more demonstrations are held rather than the young walking by and saying: "I wanna work there one day."
These days, we don't have leaders to motivate us to a higher journalistic plateau. What we have are chiefs like Hishamuddin and Brendan who are ripping BB apart.
The inexperienced and ridiculously dogmatic Hishamuddin and Brendan - chief proponents of the herd mentality - are shepherded by the careless and heartless Kalimullah, who will go down in NST history as the person who finally put to sleep the giant NSTP.
Actually, the rot started under Kadir Jasin. Nothing has gone right since he first became part owner of the NSTP. If the current GEIC is cigar chomping, Kadir's passion was his extravagence for sweet-young-things and building a Malay wall.
I note your erudite comments,Mr Jasin and it amazes me why people like you so enjoy exposing their small-mindedness.
Don't you realise that BB was "hell" under your reign of terror?
So please, stop being all high and mighty and do not try and poison our minds with your half-cooked, terribly self-aware and self-masturbating approach.
Remember, it was no different under you.The difference, possibly, was that you inherited an assembly of great journalists who produced super, super stories.
Remember, that it was under you that these same great journalists left the stable. Remember, Fauzi Omar? R. Nadeswaran? Bunn Nagara? Rehman Rashid? Frankie D'Cruz? Rattan Singh? Joachim Ng? Samad Said?
I can't recall names from BH but many bolted. And I still remember some great subs from the NST who fled. The exodus continued after Kadir's removal and I refuse to let my blood pressure rise further by talking about his successors.
Bro,it is up to us all to clamp down on bigots who are bent on destroying what we had help build into an institution.
Which is why I like what's brewing in Rocky's.
Perhaps, this is what Jalan Riong needs to keep check of the vile behaviour of Kali and his goons and their unsavoury decisions and journalistic practices.
I am saddened to what they have done to the award-winning Malay Mail, laced with celebrated journalists.
Bro, I have got a tagline for the new malay mail - The Paper That SCARES!
SCARES - not CARES.
It has been taken notch higher in another episode of horrific newspapering by the petty wankers running the rag now.
The sheet is SHIT, even to my teenage children who apparently are the target for this rag.
Scary, don't you think when you look at the content of the new Mail? Scary, dont you think when you see heaps still unsold at newsstands daily?
Scary, don't you think when you see the once income-spinner Classifieds reduced to an "entertainment pullout", courtesy of Errol DE Cruz?
Scary, don't you think when you see that your main man Yusri Azmin is the rag's chief story-spinner? That yet another bro of yours, Yushaimi, is the second in command?
Public anger and staff discontent toward the NST/MM is palpable and you have some hope that the share price will rise.
In fact, if its confirmed that Kali will become the next chairman, we would be best advised to dump our shares.
And you can rest assured, bro, that I will keep you posted on BB bloopers.
It speaks volume about you guys who call yourselves journalist, whether of the so-called great past or present infantile present (I dare not image the future) to pontificate and self-masturbate (your own terms)about what is miserably wrong with your former papers when none of you, except for rocky, rokk and kadir DARED to reveal your true identities.
ReplyDeleteyou attacked all and sundy; kali, brendon, hisham, manja and a host of others but, like the high-and-mighty goon who called himself/herself "the paper that scares" you morons (again your own term) had neither the guts nor decency to reveal your real identities.
You guys are a shame to your profession and you guys are bringing bad name to this new medium of information and knowledge. I challenge all of you to reveal your identities or stop abusing this stop.
From Potshots (http://daftoi.blogspot.com/)
ReplyDelete"Let's take a look at the career of the ex-journalist, somewhere between veteran and retired. Last post held in mainstream media was Executive Editor of the (old) Malay Mail and (now-dead) Sunday Mail (R.I.P - because resting in peace doesn't necessarily mean deceased, it may mean simply sitting on a big pile of VSS cash).
"Why do I say this? Oh, because I wouldn't dare associate any of the new Malay Mail with the old one. It wouldn't be fair, because the new one actually has a boss who isn't off doing something other than being Executive Editor.
"See, this is unfair, because Rocky was Bruing a storm at the press club, where his actual fulltime job as Press Club President and reigning champion of subsidised beers was taking up so much of his selfless and unrewarded effort...
"Here at Potshots, we are astounded by Berbatu's expert analysis. Of course it's crap since it only cost RM400k+ to get rid of him during the VSS. Once the difficult part was done, you'd expect them to spend just a few more bucks to finish up the process.
"We agree that there is definitely something fishy here. We can almost be sure that at least RM3 million of that money must've gone into some corrupt fler's pocket.
"Sure makes your VSS payout look like crap, doesn't it, Rocky? But your sacrifice is an enduring encouragement to the rest of us who hope to also one day inherit a BMW 5 series just like that one."
Is this joker for real?
abu azam, you are making presumptious and sweeping statements about people not identifying themselves when posting their comments. there must be a reason for this. you must remember that a lot of people who visit rocky's blog are from nst. so you can understand how dangerous it is to expose oneself. whatever said and done, rocky is a gentleman, having been a colleague although we were just nodding acquintances. he is a perfect gentleman. as i have said, i may not agree with his views about the nst or his perceived 'dislike' for the nst, but still i respect him for taking the trouble to write what he feels is his inalienable right to free speech. rocky, i enjoy your blog. keep it up. you really make my day.
ReplyDeletehey bru, sorry man. been missin' a few days. got life to live man. this is a hard time. wau, you guys are really sluggin' it out ah? Everybody kena. what's happenin' bru. forget 'bout my last bit. gone off my rocker. lettin' out steam man.
ReplyDeletehey, tell that "paper that scares" chap to cool down man. his rantin' can cause him a heart attack not worth it.
rehman and frankie fine jornalists? he mut be jokin'. rehman can't even interview himself man. the guy's ego is larger than the whole world man. won't pass psycho test. frankie started and closed the leader.
these guys closed down all the publicatations the worked for man, here in malaya, hong kong and elesewhere.
ok bru. time to go. see u later.
Dato' Manja and Encik Zainul Ariffin, U must restore the tarnished image of NSTP. As I checked with HR, I found out only two of you are qualified senior editorial executives in the company. The rest were form five or MCE holders. How come these people are allowed to lead such a big institution just like that. This is not 1950s. I wonder... do they understand journalism issues?. These people are not first class mentality people, men.
ReplyDeleteBGred.
we dedicate our version of neil young's rockin' in the free world to the two rocks - rocky & rokk. click on our name to download the mp3. enjoy!
ReplyDeleteBro,
ReplyDeleteCongrats. If you're being banned then you've arrived.
Those guys still don't get it that the world is now flat.
Blog on.
Ong
Going nuts over anything and everything NST
ReplyDeleteWhat is it about the New Straits Times that triggers regular and rational Malaysians to go ballistic? Citizens who make their nondescript way in life minding their own businesses to suddenly become raving lunatics, outraged critics and defender of the Constitution?
That the NST has this gift to provoke reactions of this magnitude is a testament to the newspaper’s tenacity over its perpetual tripping-over-itself management and its God-forsaken relevance, even if its horde of critics denounces its many stances on crucial national and political issues.
The NST is a double-sword, bogey-like entity, unassuming enough for most people not to purchase it on grounds that it is a Government propagandist that shy away from the real, hard stories but flashes red flags all over the radar if its editors knowingly take on powerful corporate fiends (or politicians) by assuming the high moral mantle, or when they rake former editors over hot charcoal, like what A. Kadir Jasin had experienced.
The attack, more precisely Kalimullah Hassan’s backfiring offensive against Kadir is more serious, focusing as it is on the hypersensitive issue of the Prophet Muhammad’s cartoons, which Kadir’s insignificant temerity was startlingly re-fashioned and inflamed as a “vendetta”. But just a little firewalling of Rocky’s Bru that got everyone worked up is no less spectacular. You would not be shocked then to know that ex-NST editors have plenty of kapak Siam to grind.
When Rocky’s Bru postings snip at mundane, national-type issues, you’d notice the comments he elicited are ho-hum and quantitatively average but the moment he takes a slingshot, cheap or highly-charged, at the NST or any grandstanding editors, it’s KABOOOOM! Sane, predictable Malaysians metamorphosis, literally overnight, into werewolves masquerading as pundits. Deliriously, I am also that werewolf.
For most, they adopt a fiery persona, a bunch of anonymous hyperventilating commentators who shoot a spew of furious critiques, a discourse both critical and inane as fast as they can think and digest, all in the same fire-breathing space.
At my last count, 37 comments have been generously (judiciously?) approved by Rocky, from the incomprehensible and the trivial, to the thoughtful and the intellectual, many very supportive of the ex-MM editor while a few highly critical of him, including this cad Abu Azam Isman, who for all we know, is a fictitious character hiding behind a wall with the undeserved gall to diss our God-given right to anonymity.
But I’d give Boy Scout merit points to Rocky simply for allowing the rancorous discourse to flow freely, except when some blathering idiot laced his (or her) comments with colourful vulgarities that Rocky just had to bar, a barring he justifies and acknowledges.
Rocky’s a wee tight-fisted conservative when it comes to general decency (I’d have allowed the scoundrel to post verbatim, being the decadent scribe that I am) but Rocky is nevertheless consistent with the demands of democratic ideals of free speech/expression.
Notwithstanding those ideals, the NST is a flaky flip-flop in some ways, hiding behind the skirt worn by the Prime Minister when they go bashful or vicious on issues detrimental to their No. 1 patron but switches to “outrage mode”, assuming a regular “Lim Kit Siang” mask to irk some powerful overlords like the ex-Prime Minister (check out Dr M’s scathing outburst against Pak Lah, bro!) and his henchmen, Daim Zainuddin, and Halim Saad. Oh, don’t forget the campaign against the callous cops.
The DAP strongman may be amused to know that I applied his name as a verb to describe the NST’s flash of outrage over issues it thinks it has the uppity edge. In the Malaysian context of the last 30 years, Kit practically pioneered outrage.
Going nuts over anything and everything NST
ReplyDeleteWhat is it about the New Straits Times that triggers regular and rational Malaysians to go ballistic? Citizens who make their nondescript way in life minding their own businesses to suddenly become raving lunatics, outraged critics and defender of the Constitution?
That the NST has this gift to provoke reactions of this magnitude is a testament to the newspaper’s tenacity over its perpetual tripping-over-itself management and its God-forsaken relevance, even if its horde of critics denounces its many stances on crucial national and political issues.
The NST is a double-sword, bogey-like entity, unassuming enough for most people not to purchase it on grounds that it is a Government propagandist that shy away from the real, hard stories but flashes red flags all over the radar if its editors knowingly take on powerful corporate fiends (or politicians) by assuming the high moral mantle, or when they rake former editors over hot charcoal, like what A. Kadir Jasin had experienced.
The attack, more precisely Kalimullah Hassan’s backfiring offensive against Kadir is more serious, focusing as it is on the hypersensitive issue of the Prophet Muhammad’s cartoons, which Kadir’s insignificant temerity was startlingly re-fashioned and inflamed as a “vendetta”. But just a little firewalling of Rocky’s Bru that got everyone worked up is no less spectacular. You would not be shocked then to know that ex-NST editors have plenty of kapak Siam to grind.
When Rocky’s Bru postings snip at mundane, national-type issues, you’d notice the comments he elicited are ho-hum and quantitatively average but the moment he takes a slingshot, cheap or highly-charged, at the NST or any grandstanding editors, it’s KABOOOOM! Sane, predictable Malaysians metamorphosis, literally overnight, into werewolves masquerading as pundits. Deliriously, I am also that werewolf.
For most, they adopt a fiery persona, a bunch of anonymous hyperventilating commentators who shoot a spew of furious critiques, a discourse both critical and inane as fast as they can think and digest, all in the same fire-breathing space.
At my last count, 37 comments have been generously (judiciously?) approved by Rocky, from the incomprehensible and the trivial, to the thoughtful and the intellectual, many very supportive of the ex-MM editor while a few highly critical of him, including this cad Abu Azam Isman, who for all we know, is a fictitious character hiding behind a wall with the undeserved gall to diss our God-given right to anonymity.
But I’d give Boy Scout merit points to Rocky simply for allowing the rancorous discourse to flow freely, except when some blathering idiot laced his (or her) comments with colourful vulgarities that Rocky just had to bar, a barring he justifies and acknowledges.
Rocky’s a wee tight-fisted conservative when it comes to general decency (I’d have allowed the scoundrel to post verbatim, being the decadent scribe that I am) but Rocky is nevertheless consistent with the demands of democratic ideals of free speech/expression.
Notwithstanding those ideals, the NST is a flaky flip-flop in some ways, hiding behind the skirt worn by the Prime Minister when they go bashful or vicious on issues detrimental to their No. 1 patron but switches to “outrage mode”, assuming a regular “Lim Kit Siang” mask to irk some powerful overlords like the ex-Prime Minister (check out Dr M’s scathing outburst against Pak Lah, bro!) and his henchmen, Daim Zainuddin, and Halim Saad. Oh, don’t forget the campaign against the callous cops.
The DAP strongman may be amused to know that I applied his name as a verb to describe the NST’s flash of outrage over issues it thinks it has the uppity edge. In the Malaysian context of the last 30 years, Kit practically pioneered outrage.
It appears that the GEIC of BB isn't that smart. After all BB is located so near to many coffee joints with wifi access. It's nothing a short trip to Starbucks won't cure. In any case, a reporters job isn't really a desk job and gives them the flexibilty of going out to read your blog. Plus with 3G and other mobile technology, they can still read your blog at BB.
ReplyDeleteA futile attempt on Kali and Hisham's part....
The only thing that keeps strumming my life ahead is my Kapok guitar. My job in the NST stinks.
ReplyDeleteMy wife is threatening to leave me. My son refuses to acknowledge me as his dad.My relatives are not impressed that I am a NST journalist.
Saudara, the whole of BB is in a mess. It's worse than when you were there.
I have to say though that you didnt hack it as editor of MM. Actually, I am one of those who strongly believe that the MM is in its current deplorable condition because you didnt take care of it.
Your predecessor, Fauzi Omar, was probably the worst editor MM ever had. At least, you had a strong business reporting grounding.
Fauzi was nothing but an overated sports reporter. He was popular with the guys because of he went where other Malays didnt. Get it?
Pubs, saudara. You kept it at the Press Club and that was clever of you.
When you took over from him, the paper was already in shambles.
So, to come out now shooting from your hips, is wrong, saudara.
you are just opening youself to attack. beware, the lethal ones have started yet.
i doubt very much too that you would post those that attack you, like mine.
people here comment about the NST and MM. Agreed, they are SHIT, but just look at your blog. Just like when you ignored your duties at BB, your blog is also set to bomb out.
In the meantime, I will keep strumming my good ol' Kapok...
hey orang utans, hot one dudes! those guitar solos are awesome! you guys malaysians?
ReplyDeleteI am in total agreement with abu azam isman, you got to have convictions, the balls to say what you have to,and put your name to it. That way you can at least respect the person even if you don't agree with him. In the NST, there are not many men who dare speak up against their bosses even if its for the good of the newspaper. I should know, I've been in daily meetings where the so-called men who lambasted the management in coffee shops and bars so ferociously and eloquently, were like mice in the meeting rooms. Which is why I've great respect for my longtime buddy syed nadzri, who although is not a street fighter, nevertheless doesn't whine or bitch behind their backs. The trouble with the NST is there are a helluva lot more people who are walking with nasty bruises on their backs than on their chests. In fact during my time, there were more women who had more balls than the men who did, and while those men are still there, those gutsy women have left. Come on you men of NST who whine and bitch along corridors and take potshots at people behind the mask of cowardice, strap a pair on, for the love of the newspaper and the industry.
ReplyDeleteI read Hisham's column in Berita Minggu, Kaca Mata, he wrote good things about MP Datuk Raja Ahmad...My wife was asking me whats your GEIC trying to prove...even a reporter will not write that kind of low standard article. I did not defence him, anyway.
ReplyDeleteLontongBiru
mr lazarus, you can talk big because you just got your vss and you are no longer in the nst. pse don't make presumptious statements. you aint a hero while you were in the nst. and you aint a hero now. you said many women in the nst had more balls than men. i agree. the men include you. anyway keep the juice flowing because life is becoming interesting, thanks to good ole rockybru.
ReplyDeletedear rocky
ReplyDeletedespite what harrowing comments your former colleagues about you personally whilst ur where the EIC of MM previously, take comfort in the following :-
A friend of mine who wathced Actorlymphics had this to say to Adflin Shauki :-
"Your performance was not par excelence in Buli Balik as compare to Actorlympics"
Adflin's quirky reply :-
"Thank you for watching my movie"
On the same token, welcome to join the ranks of Screenshots.
Probably if BB has to go on to firewalled dissenting views, why not firewalled everyone but bernama.com and nst.com.my itself ? That should make life easier for all those who still works in NST ...
cheers and bottom's up ...
Ya Allah, Hari ini anak aku Masuk tingkatan Enam, Walaupun gaji kerana kenaikan minyak aku dah kurang, pagi tadi aku minta mereka( 6 Orang ) berlanggan akhbar NST dan ...) Kalau corak penulisan di NST macam ini,Lebih baik aku minta mereka melanggan Malaha mangga.....
ReplyDeleteKakaitangan bawahan kerajaan.
I've always thought that employers close one eye to the fact that most employees hardly ever use the internet for anything but leisure.
ReplyDeleteI never realised that reading blogs, any blog, using facilities owned by an employer was a right that an employee is entitled to.
Don't mind me bro, I am merely a non-populist observing the populist bandwagons in Malaysian cyberspace.
yo bru, looks like you're important enough to inspire a parody (http://daftoi.blogspot.com/). keep the aspidistra flyin'!
ReplyDeleteyo orang utans, wicked cover dudes! you guys can really shred!!!