Seasoned blogger Jeff Ooi of Sreenshots http://www.jeffooi.com/ tells us of a seemingly concerted move by the media in Singapore to publish a Malaysian article damning Dr M. http://www.jeffooi.com/2006/07/catch_gunasegarams_22.php
Is there an unseen Group Editor-in-Chief orchestrating this concert? You may think it's all bollocks but I've just watched V for Vendetta based on a movie review by Aisehman http://www.aisehman.org/archives/2006/05/ and it has made me seriously think.
And then Singapore Press Holdings kisses the hands of its former correspondent Kalimullah Hassan and begs forgiveness for an article written by Malaysian Leslie Lau, its KL-based correspondent. http://www.jeffooi.com/2006/07/mega_suits_are_backonly_more_l.php
Blogger The Malaysian had it, too. http://the-malaysian.blogspot.com/2006/07/singapore-press-holdings-apologises-to.html
Leslie Lopez, who is in charge of Straits Times' regional operations, including the KL office, spoke on the on-going Power Tussle in Malaysia at an international conference in the republic recently. http://powerpresent.blogspot.com/2006/07/transcript-of-leslie-lopez-spore-forum.html
And, last but not least, Bandit, an analyst on this blog, sees a Straits Times-NST collusion. http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=28452020&postID=115183651996439342
Majulah Sing-gapura. Better start learning the tune, bros.
Rocky!
ReplyDeleteIndeed, we Malays(ians)are living in troubled time. The way I see it Malaysia will once again become the profitable hinterland for this scary island republic, that was once part of Malaya. Singapore will have to take on Malaysia say in another twenty years when its resources is depleting and its population increasing, why do you think they need our sand, to built more flats of course to sustain the population. But now can can do it much easier, with the help of traitors to make the job faster. This will happen with the help of the many turncoats and Singapore valuable controlled assets who appear to have made it to the highest decison making bodies in the country, including the NST.
I woke up with a scary headline "Bullet to Singapore" then turned to page four for continuing story followed by Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) apologising to that republic's most valuable asset (meaning he has always been friendly to Singapore). Yes Rocky! I will have to learn Majulah Sing-gapura.
Or perhaps changed my racial or ethnic background or even my religion so I will not be discriminated upon if Malaysia becomes part and parcel of Singapore.
What happens in Singapore Straits Times can only be made possible with information supplied by turncoats who are within ours midst (read NST and the Edge)so I stand corrected if I said Malays should really called themselves Morons for allowing this to happen. By the way moron means "adult with an intelligence of a child". And I do believe Umno leaders, especially, are beginning to look like that if they allow situations within Umno, ie Malays, to exacerbate to where it is now.
Can someone take charge please! I am totaly fed-up, even writing this stupid message in a blog, why do I have to resort to this just to say enough is enough!
Phooey!
5 July 2030
ReplyDeletePUTRAJAYA: Malaysia will require new policy and strategic approaches to tackle new challenges brought about by globalisation, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
He said such adjustments were required if further inroads were to be made in improving human development.
Hsien Loong said a key challenge for Malaysia was how to raise its competitiveness.
"The impact of competition will require rapid adjustments. Malaysia will need to move up the value chain and build its capability to manufacture and export more skilled and technologically intensive products," he said when launching a United Nations Development Programme report on "Malaysia: International Trade, Growth, Poverty Reduction and Human Development" here yesterday.
Hsien Loong stressed that trade liberalisation in Malaysia was accompanied by clear political vision, pragmatic social and macro-economic management as well as huge investments in human capital, health, education and women’s empowerment.
Sorry, Rocky. I was just dreaming reading this piece from a newspaper dated 5 July 2030!
Hantu Gigi Jarang
Tiger Woods
ReplyDeleteStudents Universiti Malaya dah gantung banner memberi sokongan penuh pada Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad. Tengok itu banner sebelum di bawa turun. Kejap lagi le tu.
Media Watcher Shah Alam!
ReplyDeleteI believe in what you believe, bro, but I can't publish your comments as you name a person you think is the enemy under the covers. It is a popular belief that this person is the culprit BUT I can't prove it beyond reasonable doubt if I get dragged to court. In a time when mega suits are replacing mega projects, you can't be too careful, bro.
If you could amend/edit your comments and not name anyone, it'd be such a good read. Otherwise, please bear that in mind when you come visiting the next time.
Sorry, that's the journalist in me.
Cheers, bro.
Negara Ku!
Sdr Rocky, I understand your situation but I was writing in my capacity as someone who teaches journalism. My students have done a study comparing the coverage of Malaysian issues by Straits Times in Singapore to reports of similar events in the Malaysian media.
ReplyDeleteThey have discerned a very disturbing trend that indicates growing nexus between the ST reporting and the reporting style of a certain influential group in the Malaysian media, in particular the NST.
Interestingly, the RM50-million suit by the NSTP editorial adviser and deputy chairman, Kalimullah Masheerul Hassan, against the former Chinese political secretary to Tun Dr Mahathir, Matthias Chang, is in itself a journalistic and judicial event.
This could be the first time that a newspaper editor is suing a news source. In the past, the editors were the ones who were sued.
Journalistically, it is interesting that he did not choose to respond to the allegations like other editors. Instead he resorted to the court to silence a critic. My students have been told to watch these two events carefully and maybe some time in the future you can help us organise a seminar to discuss our findings openly.
Thank you
aah, rocky... v for vendetta... dark, disturbing and fascinatingly morbid (morbidly fascinating too?). one of the best political thrillers to come out in a long time, i think. extreme no doubt, but oh so many parallels to the current world political climate. did u know that the book was originally written as a commentary on thatcherism in the 80s? hmmm.
ReplyDeletethe questions that beg to be asked: who is vindicated and who is being vindictive? to what extent would the vindicated go? how vindictive can one be? who's wearing the guy fawkes mask here and what are his true intentions?
unseen GEIC orchestrating this concert? after the movie, i wouldnt be surprised rocky. it's just that i wouldn't want to pay for a concert i never wanted to be in in the first place.
yes, it does warrant some serious thought.
Sorry Sdr Rocky, you are free to edit my earlier comment. It was more comprehensive.
ReplyDeleteSingapore is the base of western intelligence since 60's.ASIS of Australia use this country as a transit and base to plant their mole since Sukarno era until now.
ReplyDeleteNow Singapore is one of the biggest host country that give permission to big brother to spies on South East Asian country.
Like Australia which spying for their own neighbour Indonesia,Singapore are not exception in this game.
As a country which some called little jews,they also spying on their big neighbour with the latest tools and skills from their wellknown 'mentor'. The ultimate target is Malaysia.Nowadays the technic that they use sligthly different from the Cold war era.It's so sophisticated to the extent that victim countries are not aware until it became too late.
As a small country,majority of their citizen are the eyes and ears of their government.They have dual job in their daily life as a civil servant and their national services to their country.
That's why in their country eventough their profile is CEO,professor,journalist,businessman but in military they serve as intelligence officer that unknown even to their immediate family.
As for Malaysian,you must aware of this...Current situation in Malaysia show that how fine and sophisticated that their 'prize' mole are doing the job..
Bru, Guna could have been sacked from the NST for a story questioning the Proton Project. This was in mid 1980's. I know for sure Kadir stuck his neck out to save him.
ReplyDeleteYou ask Ahmad Talib or Hardev. They know the story. If I am not wrong, Kadir moved him aside to cool things down.
Actually Kadir saved a lot of journalists from the Umno axe. In 2000 he could not do it anymore. He moved out before being himself shipped out.
Now you know why Kok Lanas was faithful to Mahathir and Kali is devoted to Abdullah.
I think guna was just grinding his axe which he was forced to bury under kadir in tne nst.
what do you think?
Thanks Media Watcher Shah Alam, for allowing me to edit your original comments. I have taken out only the name/s of the individuals you identified, replacing them with "Third Party". You will find 2 small paras deleted but they do not change the essence of your observations. (I am publishing MWSA's other comments verbatim)
ReplyDeleteWatch out for the Third Party-Singapore nexus! Essentiall... Watch out for the Third Party-Singapore nexus! Essentially, from the viewpoint of an academic media watcher like me, this is the natural consequence of the takeover of the NSTP group since the sacking of Abdullah Ahmad (Kok Lanas) days after Abdullah Bawadi by the former Singapore Straits Times team in Malaysia . Kok Lanas was staunchly anti-Singapore.
The Third Party-Singapore nexus is a real thing. It gives the Singapore ST, hence the Singapore government, access to intimate, unreported Malaysian events and happenings. NSTP has effectively become the outpost of the Singapore intelligence and propaganda apparatus. This in a fact, ironically, not recognised by our intelligence services and by Umno, which presumably owned the NSTP through the PM/Umno President incorporated.
The Singapore intelligence and propaganda services are now taking over the NST-initiated deconstruction of Dr Mahathir becauase they now acknowledge that NST and the Third Party have been comprpmised and are about to be exposed by the Mahathir counter attack.
From now on, Singapore intelligence and propaganda apparatus will move away from these individuals pack because they have become too obvious and on the verge of being exposed. Both individuals had recently been ordered by PM's handlers to stay put in the NSTP for another 6 months to plug the holes they dug.
So, from now on other Malaysian news sources dedicated to deconstructing Mahathir, like the Chinese-owned xxxx , will be used as a secondary source by Singapore intelligence and propaganda apparatus.
Well, for the record, V for Vendetta was originally a comic book.
ReplyDeleteA graphic novel, some might call it, but a comic book true and true.
The movie was a shameless shadow and a bastardisation of the comic book. It was actually an insult.
I'm no purist but the movie did not even have 1/100th the essence in the original tale penned by Alan Moore - who in truth should be given a Lordship for his efforts.
The Wachowski Brothers - pah. May God have mercy on their souls for this sin against humanity. England prevails.
The NST & the ST: Reunified at last for a Singaporean buyout
ReplyDeleteTHE chances of the New Straits Times reciprocating the Singapore Straits Times repurposing of The Edge’s A. Gunasegaram’s cynically-tilted 22-question commentary designed to put Dr Mahathir Mohamad in a discomfiting state is as good as the NST outcirculating The Star anytime soon. But that’s a conspiracy story for another day.
That the normally reticent ST was brazen enough to publish the 22-question was as good as lampooning the ex-Prime Minister. Oh, I forgot. The ST operated like an eager flasher after receiving instructions from their powers-that-be, which seemed to be dancing the Tebrau two-step with the callow cabal stringing the Abdullah administration.
On any other day or circumstances, the Foreign Ministry would have rushed to direct the High Commission in Singapore to lodge a categorical protest against the ST’s insolence but I wouldn’t hold my breath, seeing that the Minister has already burnt his bridges with Dr Mahathir.
My guess is, as much as there are plenty of senior civil servants sympathetic to Dr Mahathir, they would have been ordered to slap him the untouchable, pariah status. His legendary battles to the death against Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah and Anwar Ibrahim are kiddie’s stuff compared to what he will be subjected to in the coming months.
To recap, the publication of Gunasegaram’s commentary/questions, abetted also by the Republic’s other media guard dogs, played into the conspiracy to defuse the uncomfortable grenade-like explosive questions Dr Mahathir lobbed into the bunker occupied by the cabal stringing Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. What blasted out was what has led Dr Mahathir into this conundrum.
The shameless collusion between the NST and the ST, with a rocket booster commentary from The Edge, was also to deflect the unwanted probing into the republic’s sinister but blatant penetrations into the high offices of the Prime Minister’s Office and the buying over of key Malaysian assets.
These missions of Singapore were also conveniently side-stepped by the international media, whose focus solely on Dr Mahathir’s rants are perfectly consonant with the Republic’s Mossad-like tentacles, especially in hand-blowing Malaysia. Israel would be so proud of its highly-prized student.
In any case, the sight of the NST repaying the favour by publishing its own 22-question commentary lampooning the MM and SM would be unthinkable now, even sacrilegious.
Let me remind you: the ultimate editorial tragedy happened today under our helpless glare. If the NST’s integrity had long been compromised, its independence, whatever’s left of it, was surrendered meekly to a foreign stranglehold, perhaps lost forever.
The NST’s kowtowing to Singapore is also complete, and in some ways, the two newspapers, separated in 1972 after it was agreed then that having a Malaysian operations controlled from Singapore was tenuously unacceptable, reconciled after a long, bitter divorce.
What happened in the past months finally became the stage for the two newspapers’ reunification, like how West Germany re-embraced East Germany, like how South Korea would one day intercourse with North Korea. I will leave it to you to decide which of the two newspapers is which country.
It hurts my gut and I know yours too, my comrades, surviving or fallen, that the NST was allowed to be used, misused, abused and finally raped – by a foreign object. And for that Kalimullah Hassan and Brendan Pereira, and to a certain extent Hishamuddin Aun, have committed the ultimate, unforgivable journalistic sin but on this, to expect repent is to expect a miracle.
The stinking reality sunk into my consciousness after reading the RM8 billion, 90-minute bullet train KL-Singapore fantabulous project story, an exclusive the NST published yesterday, and an obvious plant.
Let me ask you this: if you were geared to construct this fabulous bullet train venture, wouldn’t you want to stage a big Press conference attended by the international Press? Why would YTL reveal a project of this magnitude only to the NST, and not at a media circus, if it had not already been planned, planted and engineered to generate awe from gullible Malaysians?
Already, the Kali-Brendan is preparing the NST to spin this behemoth in an oozingly positive glow by getting as much agreeable public feedback as it can. The NST website just now was already laden with such reaction. They have to because to build this fantastic link, you would need the cooperation of the State Governments of Selangor, Negri Sembilan, Malacca and Johor, with Johor probably being the most delicate to deal with, especially on the issues of state sovereignty and land acquisitions. Is Singapore drooling over the project?
So, YTL is re-fashioning itself as Abdullah’s new corporate poster boy with this leviathan high-speed train link enterprise, at the very least to allow Abdullah to start boasting about his own grandiose, mega-project to equal whatever Dr Mahathir had long achieved. Now you see the cabal’s tactics crystallising – they were never opposed to mega-projects, only those conceived and constructed by Dr Mahathir.
It’s the start of super-colossal investments. Happy economic days are going to be back again. Expect now a slew of mega-projects to be suddenly introduced or scooped by the NST. And you can bet on your home mortgage with this newfangled NST-ST confederacy, the stories carried by the Malaysian media will be tweaked and twisted (oh, all right…spin) to make Abdullah shine brighter than the halo hanging now over his head and ensure that Dr Mahathir’s reputation sink with the non-existent fishes this side of the Causeway.
If Dr Mahathir has a sense of déjà vu with the way the cabal is advancing their agenda, he should. He pioneered it in his hey days, so as much as he had the right to demand answers to explosive questions, he should spew them less scathingly and stick to the core, disturbing issues whose trail of usurpation leads right back to Singapore. Ignore Abdullah and his frailties. He is of malleable consequence.
Talent spotting.
ReplyDeleteIn this day there are many way to reqruit potential target to serve as spies. The Master player are expert in art of spotting and assessing the target.Occasionally potential agents will be spotted during oversea trip,tenure or studies.
This recruitment for spies is not one day job and result. Some has been recruit for many years since their college day and their target is the most brilliant student of target country like famous cambridge 4 that been recruit by moscow.Because they are potential agents to mix with establishment later in their life.
But the most unconventional way to recruit the spies as Singapore is concern is press journalist.
Because they have easier access to Malaysia minister without being exposed their true colour.Anyway this is Malaysia MP culture to mix freely with the press.They hope the press will make-up a good stories for them. The lucky one will get the job as press secretary for the minister with their so-called international press expert.Others will get the job as an editor in mainstream newspaper. Their so-called elite profile in journalism will be boast by their master to make the agent famous in the eye of blind Malaysian.
No wonder that some Malaysian trade mission in foreign country which have classified MOU have been leaked to Singapore SS by this press entourage...
Dude
ReplyDeleteJust a thought. About the high speed train to Singapore. I thought it was cancelled. It was suppose to be Gamuda-MMC (syed mokhtar) thing, but it was cancelled weeks into the new administration. The project was then deemed to be frivolous. We have heard rumours for a while now that it would re-instated in a new form but not to be given to Gamuda-MMC, but to YTL. I wonder why?
Anyway, let see if the YTL bullet train will lead to a "resolution" of the KTM land issue in Singapore that lead all the way to Tg Pagar, which incidentally, if I am not mistaken, is a Malaysian territory under a 999 years lease.
I am sure we will hear from Dr M soon on this.
Hey Pasquale, I agree with you. I am getting sick and tired of all these things. When is this cosy/subservient relationship with Singapore going to end.
Everyone knows that no editor in singapore will do anything without an official nod and wink here.
Regardless of what you think of TDM, I think the Singapore media is insulting our country by the way they are playing up the Dr M story. He was our Prime Minister, man! and he deserves respect.
Where is the Foreign Ministry in this? Still crafting answers, like wanting to take a bullet for the PM (which is the most ludicrous statement coming from a politician this decade) and still confused between sand and silica?
Where is the UMNO stalwarts? Your former leader, the man who put many of you where you are now, are being ridiculed by foreigners. Yet there you are twidling thumbs as our southern neighbour spit in our faces.
Damn you, all your petty politickings and ball-less posturing. You know what, its personal now. And pasquale, yes maybe you are right, we are morons.
I hope these people are happy with themselves and feel proud when they see themselves in the mirror. Nope, I hope they cut their nose shaving.
Damm right I am angry.
Spinmeister!
ReplyDeleteWill do some checking for future posting, assuming there is a future.
Yes, I remember Halim Saad proposing a similar bullet link with Singapore (for RM3 billion price tag; yes, the same Halim Saad who wanted to sell off a Malaysian telecom asset to SingTel).
DRB, according to a source, also wanted to do the bullet but its proposal was rejected.
This source said the bullet idea ain't feasible: insufficient load factor and the negative impact on Malaysia Airlines.
YTL, however, could well make it as that poster boy, as Bandit puts it. If Francis can create a role for Scomi or ECM Libra, or both, which won't be that hard to do.
Malaysia still Boleh!
Bro,
ReplyDeleteAll this is getting too much. How can this be allowed to happen. This is not just Tun Dr Mahathir they are deconstucting.
Sinister work by sinister people.,
Will the Edge carry a story with, let's just say, 10 questions, for Pak Lah? I dont think so. And that would have been right not to publish such a story.
We know where Guna was coming from. He hates the old man. But that is not fair. Why, Guna, why did you allow yourself to be used by these sinister forces? Have you no principle(s)?
Should we all live in fear that all that our forefathers had fought for will be handed over to a foreign power on a silver platter?
In case that happens, and among you are willing turncoats, here is the Maju-lah Singga-pura anthem and the Pledge:
Mari kita rakyat Singga-pura
Sama-sama menuju bahagia
Cita-cita kita yang mulia
Berjaya Singga-pura
Marilah kita bersatu
Dengan semangat yang baru
Semua kita berseru
Majulah Singga-pura
Majulah Singga-pura
The Pledge
-----------
We, the citizens of Singapore,
pledge ourselves as one united people,
regardless of race, language or religion,
to build a democratic society
based on justice and equality
so as to achieve happiness, prosperity and
progress for our nation.
Hidup Malaysia!
Bro,
ReplyDeleteIt's just so scary looking at what's happening.
What are our leaders doing?
Tidak kah mereka sedar yang pentadbiran negara telah di masuk oleh ajen-ajen asing - dari negara selatan?
Buta kah mata mereka? Pekak ke pendengaran mereka?
Asset negara dijual, akhbar NST di bawah Kalimullah bersengkokol dengan wartawan2 asing untuk menjatuhkan imej bekas Perdana Menteri kita Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
Wahai Pak Lah, tolonglah bangun dari tidurmu, tolonglah ambil tindakan yang menunjukkan bahawa anda adalah seorang pemimpin - bukannya seorang yang dipimpin oleh menantu mu.
Rocky
ReplyDeleteI think your negative feelings about Kalimullah has coloured your objectivity and made you see shadows where there are none. I'm no Singapore lover but I believe this Singapore-bashing serves little purpose except to whip up a hysteria of hatred against our neighbour. I have little doubt that had a Singapore publication printed some scandalous questions for Lee Kuan Yew to answer, the Malaysian Press would have gone to town with it too. Say what you like, readers like to bury themselves in scandal sheets. A conspiracy between the ST and NST may be possible but in this instance, I think it is nothing more than an editorial decision to print something readable. Maybe I'm naive but I don't think the situation warrants a conspiracy, and if I'm the Singapore Government I would not bother to dip my toes into something that will not pay me enough dividends apart from earning me the suspicions of a host of proud Malaysians. Fight Kali if you want to, but beware of going down to his level. I have always believed you were the next best bet for GE even before the Sallehudin appointment. I hope to see you in that chair one day. So tread carefully so that when your time comes, there'll be fewer breaches to mend. Stick to the demon at hand. We know Kali moved to kill the old MM because that was the only sure way of "killing" you. Exact your revenge with grace and dignity, and sock one for all the MM staff who suffered for Kali's foul move on the paper.
moonshine,
ReplyDeleteif you dont have anything intelligent to say, dont say. your words make me sick!
Bro,
ReplyDeleteHave you read the International Herald Tribune today. There's a story on Tun M with a KL dateline on Pg 2 (no less) about the confrontation back home. I don't know man, the previous night's Bitburger beers might have had an effect on my mind this morning when I read it in my hotel room, but I could swear the tone wasn't very flattering to the old man. It made him look like a whiner, even a little bitter. I don't know man I could be wrong.
agree with amir. the movie is a pathetic shadow of the graphic novel. you can check it out for yourself here:
ReplyDeletehttp://community.livejournal.com/
vfv_icons/22023.html
bro,
ReplyDeletemoonshine says yr negative feelings about kalimullah has coloured yr objectivity. And you are seeing shadows where there are none.
I dont know about all this. But I believe it has nothing to do with whtever "feelings" you hv of Kalimulah.
I think when he had you sacked, you had already seen it coming. And you knew it was a matter of time before he would kick you out. The stage was already set. Whenever Kalimulah wants to sack someone, he would set the stage, so to speak. I am digressing here.
You are ONE person Kalimulah cannot have on board because you would have spoken up. Do you think that the NST would be doing all this if you were still there? Ok ok, so you would still not have been able to stop them. But we know you would have done something -- and then get sacked.
Oh, you would have the Malay Mail do something. And then get sacked. I dont think you have negative feelings about the man. I think you dont think much of him.
But, I was told that when it was "rumoured" that he was coming over as GEIC way back in 2003, you were the first to say that he could be good for the NST as he had been a journalist. You had hopes, when others didnt.
(Eat your words now Rocky. You were dead wrong. We were right!)
So, i believe there are no shadows there. They are real. And no. the likelihood of the Singapore ST carrying a Guna-like story on Lee Kuan Yew is zilch. Who are u kidding? And assuming that there could be, then we must assume that the political scenario, landscape, leadership, system in the island republic had changed so radically, which is unlikely. Hard to imagine that happening. But say, one such story was used, and under these circumstances, then, of course the NST will use it. Because, when that happens, Kali-Brendan wouldnt be there.
So, bro Rocky, what is yr take on this?
look back, people. The foreign Press had never like Dr Mahathir. Remember how they criticised him about his mega projects, his policies, his children doing business.
ReplyDeleteHe could do no right, in their eyes.
WHy the silence now about the present administration? The excesses? As though there are none?
You mean the foreign Press have nothing to say about ECM Libra-Avenue, Scomi, etc etc?
THIS IS THE TIME to really bash the old man --
So, if everything DrMahathir did was wrong, you would have me believe that everything is A-OK now?
Double standards.
Lazarus. Not the beer. You read it right.
Its no-holds barred against the old man.
Sith Lord & apprentice drags newspapers into Dark Side
ReplyDeleteDESEXED, neutered and compromised, Malaysian newspapers – and with it journalism’s standard-bearers – have repugnantly been dragged mewling into the Dark Side, dumped into this abysmal entity by a nervous cabal fearful of the aggro that an alpha rag can afflict. Any hope of a return to the cherished light won’t be anytime soon or as soon as somebody can make the cabal stringing the Prime Minister capitulate.
It was bad enough that the newspapers were emasculated by the ruling parties, everyone from the Opposition parties to NGOs to the international media incessantly pointing out so, but just when you think the newspapers couldn’t bend any lower, there was this tawdry descent – the newspapers’ cop-out to Singapore and its guard dogs. When it comes to raking Singapore, why wasn’t there a peep of protest from these indefatigable critics?
By associating with newspapers, the bruised, humiliated and demoralised Malaysian journalists, the true blue ones at least, are a motley crew of anathematised bunch, comminated by sellout contemporaries and imprecated by readers who demand that we commit seppuku – nothing but our strewn guts would satiate these bloodsuckers.
The ones emerging out of this horror pit smelling like a Christian Dior fragrance are the hacks, the flacks, the ad men and the PR consultants. Now I can declare that I’ve seen everything.
What is left are the rebels – a gaggle of misfit bloggers, a handful of stressed-out insiders and an army of disillusioned outsiders who can only hit back on the blanched cover of anonymity, and the odd elderly journos whose neck on the chopping block is looking more severed by the day. What could be done, except to launch what at best is a noisy resistance and at worse, a feeble rebellion?
But I’m the perpetual optimist: in the midst of this depressing new order, we can now launch a counterforce, true and tested out there in the world but relatively new in Malaysia – guerrilla journalism.
But also hold on: I’m not suggesting that we emulate shadowy tactics styled after Al-Qaeda or the French Resistance, but through writings inspired by the iconoclasts Thomas Paine or Promoedya Anantatoer, rebels who view Government as huggable as a horn-mad Grizzly. It’s our only salvation now that we have been obliterated in the battle.
Already emasculated and compromised as very pro-Singapore, you can forget about the New Straits Times launching a proportionally mischievous 22-question assault on MM or SM to return the favour to the Singapore Straits Times and the Republic’s other media guard dogs which insolently repurposed The Edge’s A. Gunasegaram cynical attack against Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
We can all curse Kalimullah Hassan and Brendan Pereira, two former ST correspondents now acting as operatives deployed from Singapore’s bosoms, for converting the NST into a re-usable Singapore tool but no appealing or pleading is useful because they are remorseless in their zeal to cut the oxygen sustaining the Malaysian Press and in the same breath, subvert the Malaysian Government.
Allowed to wrest control of the NST (and Berita Harian, Harian Metro and Malay Mail by that virtue), the Kali-Bren is also a breath away from the Abdullah Ahmad Badawi-strung cabal empowered to rule Malaysia and allow Singapore to usurp Government power and buy over national assets without a whimper of demurring.
That’s why I thought of the Star Wars metaphor to paint their all-consuming power – a Sith Lord (Kali) and his apprentice (Brendan) executing the escalation of the Dark Side and serving their Emperor (definitely not Abdullah, the poor, hapless wheedle-prone Prime Minister).
Do you know what is more galling? These two operatives were permitted to trample Balai Berita (and all of Malaysia for that matter) with the impunity of a dictator’s goons. Except for Dr Mahathir and A. Kadir Jasin, the Umno politburo, the Cabinet ingrates and other political/Government apparatchiks have questioned the Kali-Bren nemo me impune lacessit (no one attacks me with impunity, a motto of Scotland) attitude.
And forget about The Star or The Sun defending Dr Mahathir’s honour, even if you disagreed with his politics. No one is willing to retort the ST by coming out with our own 22 questions. Except for the blogs and independent websites whose support of Dr Mahathir is at best mixed, he can only bank on mainstream media coverage provided he goes down on all fours, begging for forgiveness from Abdullah.
In this sense, the good doctor with the jihad to die for will wage the good battle he ironically pioneered 22 years ago, only that this time, he stumbles on his own – no groupies, no hangers on, no cronies. Just him and the guerrilla journalists who at the same time root for and pity him.
malaysians are good at finger-pointing and using scapegoats to justify their ineptitude. therefore i am not surprised by the virulent singapore-bashing of those visiting your site, brudder rocky. i think these singapore bashers are reading too many cia-influenced fiction novels. to accuse the nst, a paper which is stuck deep in the quagmire, of colluding with the singapore straits times is as laughable as watching a Mr Bean series. comon, be real, man.
ReplyDeleteheard from the grapevine that brendan is going to stay put in the nst for a while (maybe a year's extension). well mr brendan has made himself available to be kicked around for a while. of course singapore bashers will be very glad because they have a target to vent their anger and frustration. a lot of people in the nst will of course be very unhappy. it's understandably so because brendan has stepped on many toes. you either like him or hate him. as for him, he either likes you or hates you. if he likes you you go up. if he doesn't like you, you will be dumped unceremoniously.
ReplyDeleteBru, what's your take on Tajuddin Ramli's RM13-billion suit? I smell rat, a very dead rotting rat.
ReplyDeleteThe Bank Negara story refuses do die. I covered it for some years. One of the men responsible was rehabilitated by Mahathir and promoted by Abdullah. Another died a long time ago.
The Mas deal, I believed, took place not when Daim was Finance Minister. Somebody else was Finance Minister than.
I think Tajuddin was pissed off by Danaharta's bad treatment of him. I can't believe that Tajuddin is taking this course of action without informing Mahathir and Daim.
ex bt reporter!
ReplyDeleteTR is trying to save his butt in the most unlikely manner.
I think the ex-MAS boss is trying to get even with Daim and Dr M. You must not forget that, contrary to the popular belief (that TR is being prosecuted by the Abdullah administration and because of Abdullah's policies), TR was actually exposed when Dr M was still the PM and Daim was a powerful figure in the government.
Perhaps he had expected them to bail him out and they did not?
But having said that, we must not forget that TR is counter-sueing the government and Dr M is NO LONGER part of the government.
In any case, TR must serve as a painful lesson to Umno and the Malays that you can't manufacture a Malay tycoon out of an average businessman.
This is not Akademi Fantasia.
But is this lesson being learnt? Nope, bro.
Since Abdullah took over, there have been many TRs coming out of his manufacturing line.
And some of them have been going around shamelessly telling everybody about how the PM had forced them into taking up their present powerful positions in the name of national service!!
If they fail like TR did, can you imagine what they'd be saying in a few years time?
The shit hasn't hit the fan, yet. Not by a long shot, bro..
Bro,
ReplyDeleteA little but significant typo mistake on my part in my piece, Sith Lord & apprentice drags newspapers into Dark Side. Sheeesshh. Where's an editor when you badly need one?
The incorrect passage has a missing NOT. To recap:
"Except for Dr Mahathir and A. Kadir Jasin, the Umno politburo, the Cabinet ingrates and other political/Government apparatchiks have NOTquestioned the Kali-Bren nemo me impune lacessit (no one attacks me with impunity, a motto of Scotland) attitude."
The word NOT was missing in the original posting, in case posters were wondering what I meant. It makes a whole lot of difference.
Thanks.
As The Terminator would say..."I'll be backkk..."
Bro,
ReplyDeleteA little but significant typo mistake on my part in my piece, Sith Lord & apprentice drags newspapers into Dark Side. Sheeesshh. Where's an editor when you badly need one?
The incorrect passage has a missing NOT. To recap:
"Except for Dr Mahathir and A. Kadir Jasin, the Umno politburo, the Cabinet ingrates and other political/Government apparatchiks have NOTquestioned the Kali-Bren nemo me impune lacessit (no one attacks me with impunity, a motto of Scotland) attitude."
The word NOT was missing in the original posting, in case posters were wondering what I meant. It makes a whole lot of difference.
Thanks.
As The Terminator would say..."I'll be backkk..."
Hello beb!
ReplyDeleteNothing can be more effective in undermining the sovereignty of a country than by undermining the minds of the people. And that is what we see happening through the mainstream media led by the nose by the Singapore-trained operatives in Balai Berita. This will continue because Umno has either allowed it or its leaders have taken ill with the famed monkey illness - see no evil; hear no evil; and speak no evil. By not acting or at least probing the Balai Berita fiasco, one can only conclude that Umno endorses what's being cooked and served from Balai Berita. The ST-NST nexus - it's there for all to see except Umno leaders who are tripping over each other as they pay homage to the Balai Berita's high priests. And the CEO, mind you, is the nephew of the Msian Foreign Minister. That certainly completes the nexus, many would think.
Balai Berita has reduced whatever coverage of Tun Mahathir's functions to nothing more than single column pieces, butchered to suit Singapore-style journalism. With Hishamudin as the GEIC, the NSTP can go one direction - down the hill. Hehehe! Hishamudin's editors are fuming when his wife starts giving instructions which events are to be covered and how the stories are to be played up or down!
Anyway Bru, life's too short. All this talk about the ST-NST nexus should be seriously investigated. Not by the police maybe 'cos the Force has enough on their plate. Perhaps the School of Mass Communications of UiTM, UKM and USM should look into this with the participation of other media related bodies. If the NUJ is still alive and kicking, they should ask for time off from their bosses to get to the bottom of these allegations. I doubt if the Government would put a stop to this 'cos we are living in a more liberal and transparent environment.
Bro, in manybe a month's time, you should be able to compile your blog into a nice little book for sale in the bookshops. I know a publisher who may be interested. At RM5 per copy, it'll sell like hot cakes! You can do a launch at the Press Club..good idea right?
Anyone heard of a pharmacy site called www.1medstore.net? I got great generic Ambien and Phentermin 37.5 mg from them delivered to me in quickly. I used the promo code FIRST and I got $15.00 off my order. I know it is still valid since my friend just ordered...anyone else heard of www.1medstore.net? I really like them! Sarah
ReplyDelete