Raja Kamarul Bahrin Shah strikes back. In an article on 24 August 2006, the NST planted a line about the "fact" that Raja Kamarul Bahrin had taken another wife two weeks - yes, TWO WEEKS! - after his second child, with his then wife Jacquelin, was born.
Now, what would you think of a man who would do such a thing to his wife?
Exactly my sentiments. Those who were familiar with his celebrated custody battle for his two children in Australia and his subsequent daring rescue of the kids, after reading this article, were likely to change the way they look at Raja Bahrin. I mean, only a jerk would do such a thing, right?
But that line NST inserted in the article was a LIE. It is NOT a fact.
Raja Bahrin sent a letter of demand to get NST to print a front-page apology, to disclose the source of the lie, and to pay RM1 million. [I was told that in the letter of demand, Raja Bahrin said the money will be channeled to an institute to run training courses to produce good and ethical journalists].
NST sent two top officials, accompanied by a lawyer, to meet Raja Bahrin. On 20 Sept 2006, the tabloid published an apology.
But it was an apology-that's-not-an-apology. [Remember Lee Kuan Yew's "apology"?]
NST, under the former Singapore Straits Times operatives Kalimullah Hassan-Brendan Pereira regime, has gotten away with such an apology, as in the case of the Prophet Muhammad caricature's case. It has even gotten away, so far, by refusing to apologise for an outright lie in the case of the June 11 article by Kalimullah Hassan on the meeting between PM and Dr M in Tokyo.
Not this time.
Brendan Pereira, the NST group editor, has been named as the defendant in the defamation suit filed by Raja Bahrin about 2.30pm today at the High Court in Kuala Terengganu. Hishamuddin Aun, the GEIC for NSTP, has been named as co-defendant.
Raja Bahrin is seeking RM1 million in general damages as well as aggravated and exemplary damages to be determined by the court.
Hey bro,
ReplyDeleteFunny how the immediate preceeding blog entry is about a newspaper going great guns and reaching for the stars! And the next one is about one grappling with life and the changing times!
Ahh... such is life.
Tahniah Pak lah, you have chosen the right people to run this Umno paper. TABLOID..hahahahahahahaha....Bravo Raja Bahrin, sue them for every penny they have. Poor Hisham. He didn't know head or tail. He's grateful to lord Kalli (lord in lower case)and is afraid of Brendan. Hisham, berhentilah! jangang terus malukan Melayu!
ReplyDeletepadan muka, served them right
ReplyDeletei have said it once (perhaps too many times before) and i'll say it again -- NST has gone to the dogs.... no longer a paper NST journalists can be proud of. Kalimullah, like all weak and insecure "leaders", has put not-so-capable editors to run the paper.
ReplyDeletedamn.... raja bahrin should have sued for RM10m.. but i was told he wasnt doing it for the money.
ReplyDelete"Those who were familiar with his celebrated custody battle for his two children in Australia and his subsequent daring rescue of the kids,..."
ReplyDeleteRESCUE? From whom, and what?
I don't mean to be a wet blanket to diminish the gleefulness that the NST is being sued, again, but Raja Kamarul Bahrain is actually suing the wrong defendents. When the NST carried the story about his supposed second wife, the newspaper used a routine feed from Reuters in the rewrite but somehow did not credit the wire service. That's a routine mistake in many of its rewrites. Of course, the NST bears the responsibility for publishing the piece but they do have a viable defence. It's now a question of the NST producing the Reuters feed in court and let's see if the prince is prompted to re-direct his suit. The apology and the explanation extended to RKB wasn't enough to appease him but the prince need to put some perspective in his legal action.
ReplyDeleteRaja Bahrin, Now you know you can sue Reuter as well as Nst! But please make sure you let a third party decides how the training should be run. If you leave it to Nst they will splurge on people like Revi velloo and other Singapore trainers. Forex loss la. And what do they know about ethical and good journalism? Congrats for your action. After the Australians, dealing with these Singaporean stooges should be kacang botol for you, prince.
ReplyDeleteWhile all this is happening, STAR & SUN laughs all the way to the bank. Where is check & balance in NSTP. No one cares, "so let them sue, afterall its not our money, NSTP will bear the cost & the stakeholders will bear the losses". No corporate governance, no passion & no love for the company anymore. All this happens, and we shout about only 18% equity! Now we know why
ReplyDeleteHahaha. This a good one. if they don't learn anything from this, tak tahu lah apa nak jadi dengan depa-depa ni.
ReplyDeleteHow much for ringside tickets in the courtroom?
ReplyDeleteI SSOOOO want to be there.
Kali & gang dont give a shit as to what happens to the NST.
ReplyDeleteSo what if Raja Baharin is sueing the NST. If NST loses, the money aint gonna come from Kali's pocket. That is for sure.
Does he care? He certainly does not.
Bru,
ReplyDeleteIf the editors of this once-proud newspaper have made mistakes, the most professional thing for them to do is to apologise.It's also the most honourable thing. If the editors are less than honourable, what about the board of directors, some of whom are people so prominent and distinguished. Learned too, I assume. While the Board may take the usual position that "we don't meddle with editorial decisions," the fact remains that much can be achieved by reminding the editors to be accurate in their reporting. The editors may not be bothered about their credibility, or that of the tabloid. Unless of course if the Board, led by its dep chairman, believe that such reporting is the desired one, consistent perhaps with other comments and half-truths published in recent months or weeks.
It's appalling, this decline in journalistic standards in the NST papers. To think that this is the newspaper that's being distributed by some corporates to schools to improve the schoolchildren's English. And yes, in the process the pupils are also taught, hopefully, responsible reporting.
I sympathise with the genuine journalists in the group. Their numbers may be dwindling, their spirit waning, their professionalism, declining. It's a shame.
NST newsdesk [is it KP Waran, Kamarul or the Singapore spies?], this is the price you have to pay for unethical journalism.
ReplyDeleteAs if it's not bad enough that Kalli and Brendan are rewriting perfectly good pieces from poor souls like us with scant regard for ethics and accuracy, you bums are also rewriting wire pieces.
This is what have to pay for spinning stories and for plagiarism, and for disrespecting the readers' right of reply.
We are sick and tired of our pseudo editors and managers -- the square peg in round hole like Hishamudin Aun.
Our ESOS shares are worth pittance and our once great broadsheet quality paper had been turned into a cheap thrashy tabloid.
Pak Lah will do nothing because he's under Kalli's spell.
Ku Li, you are the father of the NSTP, please help us. Please tell Umno the truth about this place. Please reinstate Tun Razak's dream of making the NST the English voice of Umno and the Malays.
People of all races used to read the NST to feel the pulse of the nation, the thinking of Umno and the mood of the Malays.
Hakkai and all, as far as raja bahrin is concerned, he rescued his kids and as far as his ex wife is concerned they were abducted by their father. Either way, its not pretty and it makes no sense. But alls well that ends well. But NST had to spoil it lah. Imagine how the kids, especially the girl, feel when they read what the NST wrote about their dad. I don't know where NST newsdesk got that bit about Reuters feed. If it's true, how very careless and unprofessional. Our GE should sack himself!
ReplyDeletehear ye hear ye hear this y'all,
ReplyDeleteNST shares aint going nowhere. they sure aint going up.you wanna know why? Because there is no confidence in the management of the NST. Kalimulah lacks credibility. Hishamudian Aun is a mediocre. Brendan ...well his Singapore connection is not doing NST any good.
You tell me the seriousness of even a mere suspiion that NST is run by Singapore operatives.
For now, it appears that nothing is being done, It is a serious state o affair when the country's premier newspaper is under threat and seige. I say premier because NST has so much history, is the madia arm of the government of the day.
If our dear Prime Minister has been lulled into submissiveness and apathy, it does not mean other people are incapapble of seeing all the wrong there is in the NST. All this aside, the NST under Kalimullah has shown that the only way it can take is down, down and down.
And this is nobody's imagination.
Any company, any organisation, run by the likes of Kalimulah and team, will be ruined.
ReplyDeleteIf it was another company, people like kslimulah and hishamudin (who has broken journalism ethics by soliciting business for his wife by using arm-twisting tactics) would have been sacked/removed a long time ago.
A pity that it is the PM who decides on the apppointment of the NST head honcho.
More the pity that our PM makes his decision on the advice by people with little or no integrity and credibilty.
Kawan,
ReplyDeletei share your views. Let me enlighten you on how it works in the NST.
Funny you should mention the NST board. Oh,it is powerful in everything else in the company BUT the editorial. Let me put it this way. The all-powerful person in the NST, tne numero uno, the supremo is the person put there by the Prime Minister. So, right now, neither the board chairman, the CEO nor the GEIC has any power to change things -- in the editorial or anywhere else in the NST. But, Kalimulah who was regretfully appointed by the PM to take charge of the NST is not interested in anything else except the NST editorial.
So,if you think the board should do somehting... yes, I'm with you. But the reality is, the board which is under Kalimulah's thumb,will not be able to do adamn thing.
Sad, isnt it? someone like Kalimulah whose shady background EVERYONE knows, has many learned and respectable people under his thumb.
No, it is not sad. It is so sickening.
Saudara Rocky,
ReplyDeleteTaking a another wife whilst your first wife is in the maternity ward ( or as soon as she reveals she is on the way to motherhood) is not surprising at all. This has happened before and it is still happening. Just read today's papers and you can see some crocodile tears being shed by some celebrity! The only difference is that some are reported b'cos of their celebrity status and thus becoming news worthy. They do it because polygamy is allowed by their faith.( the problem being they disregard the conditions attached.)Don't you think it would blasphemeous to call them " names " like jerks! The " prince " is newsworthy because of his daredevil "rescue" of his kids from Australia. ( nevermind he putting his kids in danger during his abduction and escape from Australia). The papers then made him a hero! Thus, whatever our "hero" does is newsworthy to be put in print. Can you dispute this?
NSTP , with declining sales have to resort to such news eagerly to prop up sales. But,in their eagerness for sales, they forego accuracy of the facts! But with deep pockets of UMNO , this I assume is a calculated risk allowed by the owners! Therefore what is a million ringgit to UMNo?
The day political parties divest of their ownership of newspapaers, only then we hope to see factual reporting and unbiased opinion pieces! I am sure you might not agree, cos' you once a part of the editorial team of this group of papers! The difference being sales is given more leverage now than facts!
Dear Hakkai,
ReplyDeletethere's a book written by Raja Bahrin about his experienced in 'kidnapping' his children out of Australia via Indonesia to Malaysia.
try to gethold of it( MPH have it). Interesting read.
Kawan, mana dalagi orang kuat NST yang honourable sekarang ni. All are haprak and penyangak like the band of thieves in P.Ramlee's Ali Baba Bujang Lapok. And they are bodoh sombong too.
Selamat Deepavali and Selamat Hari Raya.
For those driving long distance, please drive SAFELY.
Ayub Tulakang
Datuk and Rocky,
ReplyDeleteAllow me to digress. Reading The Star report below makes me feel squirmy. Something is not right.
Can our PM, in all honesty and with his conscience clear, rebuke this recalcitrant Umno politician when he himself has given his children, son-in-law, brothers, former sisters-in-law and favorite friends “favorable” treatment in business and politics?
I beg everybody’s forgiveness for having to say that I am yet to be fully convinced that our PM is not involved in such a practice because where he is, more so as Finance Minister, the line separating propriety and the lack of it is thin indeed.
Furthermore the PM and other senior Government and Umno leaders are individually and collectively responsible for putting Zakaria where he is today. Pardon me for saying, we continue to be in a state of denial and we lack integrity to rebuild this beloved nation of ours.
The Star report:
Friday October 20, 2006
What Zakaria did not good, says Pak Lah
KEPALA BATAS: What Port Klang assemblyman Datuk Zakaria Mat Deros did is not good in the eyes of the public, and action will be taken against him, said Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
“We are from the ruling party and we are holding posts. So, definitely the people are not happy,” he said.
The Prime Minister was commenting on the controversy involving Zakaria, who is alleged to have built a four-storey mansion in Kampung Pandamaran, Port Klang, without getting approval of the Klang Municipal Council (MPK).
“He will be fined,” Abdullah told reporters after presenting Hari Raya aid to 642 poor and orphaned folk in Penaga yesterday.
Rocky!
ReplyDeleteSomeone wrote "Pak Lah will do nothing because he's under Kalli's spell". The spell could be a tyoe of drug that the PM is being subjected to.
Well let me put it very bluntly, every morning someone looking after our "esteemed PM" will slip a "happy drug" into his morning glass of liquid. Initially it was a drug called "Ativan" and it has now progressed to even more sophisticated ones that can make him agreeable to anything and happy for no reason! He is a PM under strong influence of drug and under strong protection from people who will fall if he goes, so certain issues are beyond good manners and the PM has to be constantly drugged without him knowing it so that he can be aggreable and happy, I pity the country though as the man is also showing a slight tendency of being afflicted by alzheimer! God save us all!
Hello Rockbru, I am disappointed with your blog.
ReplyDeleteIt appears to me that your blog is started for one purpose and one purpose only ie. to discredit the current leadership at NST. Granted they are not saints.
But when I first started reading your blog, it gave me the impression that you were fighting for something bigger, something noble, something Malaysian.
From my observation, you are brushing off real issues that affect ALL MALAYSIANS.
The issues about NEP, religious and racial challenges (not problems), unequal wealth distribution, corruption, abuse of power seem to be not popular with you.
Maybe you should state your vision and mission on this blog.
Thank you and do have a joyous Aidil Fitri.
journo said...
ReplyDeleteSad, isnt it? someone like Kalimulah whose shady background EVERYONE knows, has many learned and respectable people under his thumb.
No, it is not sad. It is so sickening.
=================================
Cant agree more with you.
Indeed, it is so sickening.
Rocky! I have to come to your rescue especially with this posting by an Anonymous who said your purpose in life has gone awry and you are not fighting for all Malaysian!
ReplyDeleteWell anonymous, you are also a Bongok and a Bangang (basically B and B)for missing the tree for the forest!
Everything that happens in this country that affects all of us Malaysians starts with a bunch of carpetbaggers, par venu, con-man, and basicaly they are all Singapore operatives, so anonymous I can safely that you are also of of those "ugly, squinty eyed Chinese-Malaysian fron Bahau, like the one across the straits (I will give you a hint LKY!") who must really think before you open your gap. Everything starts with the NST, from sacking of many good Malay journalists and spinning stories till kingdom come! I hope you don't mind if I also call you Bongok and Bangang! Rocky is well focused cause like me he is not one of those ugly squinty eyes people from across the straits (I will give you a hint they are also reffered to as Kiasu!)
-----------------------------------
Below is the posting by this B and B Anonymous!
"Hello Rockbru, I am disappointed with your blog.
It appears to me that your blog is started for one purpose and one purpose only ie. to discredit the current leadership at NST. Granted they are not saints.
But when I first started reading your blog, it gave me the impression that you were fighting for something bigger, something noble, something Malaysian.
From my observation, you are brushing off real issues that affect ALL MALAYSIANS.
The issues about NEP, religious and racial challenges (not problems), unequal wealth distribution, corruption, abuse of power seem to be not popular with you.
Maybe you should state your vision and mission on this blog.
Thank you and do have a joyous Aidil Fitri.
1:47 PM "
Pasquale
ReplyDeleteWhy don't you write your own blog instead of nailing other bloggers.
Criticising is easier than proposing an opinion.
If Rocky is talking crab, why is every other bloggers are linking to him.
I wonder does he have a hit rate better than NST yet?
Hoi Pasqual, I ingat you tak betullah. Orang-orang di NSTP dah merosakkan pemikiran ramai rakyat Malaysia. Mereka sudah terpesong daripada matlamat. Sebelum kita nak rectify yang lain-lain, kita kena betulkan media utama ini dulu. Soal DEB dan apa benda yang you cakap tadi adalah soal dasar. Itu biar parti politik dan kerajaan yang settlekan. After all, nstp ingat mereka boleh buat apa saja. podah.
ReplyDeleteHi Rocky,
ReplyDeleteSeems so long ago we used to battle it out on the green velvets!
Can't agree with you more! Though I was never part of the NST organisation, I can personally tell you those who have ventured off to rival prints that are better off...correction MUCH BETTER OFF! I dont know these people, but judging from your loyal bloggers, I can tell they do know what they are talking about.
To those who find it hard reading this (seemingly biased blog) I can safely say that it is simply because you choose to think so.
I have had a good 30 minutes reading through your comments, and certainly will drop in again. Just curious if anything was mentioned about Malaysia AIrlines or That Fauzi guy?
Sorry, I am a bit in the dark about all this. But would Bru care to elaborate when exactly did Raja Bahrin take a second wife (presumably more than 2 weeks after 1st wife's pregnancy, or divorce) or whether did he in fact have a second wife or second marriage? One man's hero is another's villain, I believe. In Malaysia, I vaguely remember the newspapers going to town painting RB as the defender of the faith when he rescued his children from the clutches of his ex-wife and new hubby who were threatening to turn them into murtads. And I also vaguely remember the local dailies (not just ones run by Singapore operatives and long before one in fact was, mind you) taking great pains to portray RB's ex-wife's new hubby as a producer of pornographic films in Australia. And the local dailies then were not distorting the news quite a bit, Bru? I may be wrong, but I think only one paper actually clarified that it wasn't pornography but a docuemtary that may have had some sexual elements in it (sorry, I've not seen the docu either). In the interests of selling papers, whether they are the ones run by Singapore operatives or otherwise, there have been quite a few tales told by some of our newspapers that had stretched the truth quite a bit. And Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) would cringe at the way under the guise of defending the faith some people go out of the way to distort facts so as to present another in the best possible light.
ReplyDeleteForgive me, but my impression is that newspapers (any newspaper, in fact) are serving one group of person's or another's interests. But I must totally agree with some of our commentators that if it has any links to the "squeaky clean" (if I may borrow a long forgotten term) republic it is harder to swallow. It is nice to get on our high horse and take pot shots at the people who we feel are bringing disrepute to the country (and NST) at the moment, doesn't it? But I don't think this is the first time the NST (dominated by Singapore operatives or not) have gotten it wrong and is getting sued for its journalists' inept reporting, is it? I believe the amount of settlement paid out over the years would have bought quite a few pints at the National Productivity Centre in Jalan Tangsi.
Bru and fellow NSTP friends past and present, please confirm rumors that Kalli and Brendan are taking long sabbatical leave prior to tendering their resignation. It seems that Umno Supreme Council at its last meeting applied pressure on Pak Lah to oust them.
ReplyDeleteBru,
ReplyDeleteAnother of Abdullah's blunder that Tun Dr Mahathir will raise at the meeting with the PM. Read this Bernama report:
"October 20, 2006 12:48 PM E-mail this news to a friend Printable version of this news
Gerbang Perdana's Claims Finalised
PETALING JAYA, Oct 20 (Bernama) -- The Public Works Department (PWD) has decided on Gerbang Perdana Sdn Bhd's (GPSB) claims for compensation following the cancellation of the project to build a half-bridge to replace the Johor Causeway on the Malaysian side.
However, Works Minister Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu remained tight-lipped about the quantum pending discussions with the Finance Ministry.
"I will have to discuss the matter with the Second Finance Minister (Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop) and only after that can we announce the final quantum," he told reporters after appearing on TV3's "Malaysia Hari Ini" programme Friday.
It was reported that GPSB had submitted claims totalling RM360 million to the PWD for the cancellation as well as the work done after the government decided to scrap the project last April.
Samy Vellu said the claims made by GPSB involved compensation for the cancellation of the project, work done before the cancellation and the construction of a new bridge linking the Customs, Immigration and Quarantine Complex and the Causeway.
He said the PWD had studied the claims and had decided on an appropriate quantum."
Who's going to fork out the money, PM or Samy Vellu?
I will not "halal" a single sen of my money to be used for this wasteful purpose. I did not call for the cancellation of the bridge.
Pak Lah, Najib, Samy Vellu and Syed Hamid must pay. If Effendi have RM50 million to pay his ex-wife, I am sure these people have much more. Don't waste taypayers money!
arb_ok said:
ReplyDelete"The children were actually abducted by his ex-wife to Australia when custody was granted to him."
Custody given by whom? The Shariah court in Raja Bahrin's home state ( where he is a prince).Try being a foreigner ( read convert) and see what kind of justice you would receive there.His ex-wife stood no chance.
Anyway isn't the mother supposed to be given custody when the children are of a very young age? Unless of course she was abusive etc.
This isn't the only case where the Shariah court in Trenggannu has dished out its own brand of 'justice' against converts (read foreigners) in custody cases,who married then subsequently divorced members of the royal family there.
As a Muslim, I am told and I believe that the Holy Quran is 100% the Truth, whilst the Newspapers is approx. 30% true (aslo told by some knowledgeable man) and yet, everyone, Muslims included will zero in to the Newspapers first thing in the morning instead of the Quran first which we as Muslims believe to be 100% True. i am now over 65, and I dont zero in to read the newspapers anymore. Give it a thought.
ReplyDeletearb_ok said:
ReplyDelete"The children were actually abducted by his ex-wife to Australia when custody was granted to him."
Custody granted by whom?
The Shariah court in Raja Bahrin's home state of which he is a prince?
The ex-wife as a convert (read foreigner) stood no chance.Isn't the mother supposed to be given custody when the chidren are of a tender age? Unless of course she is of abusive, of unfit mind etc.
The Shariah court in Trengganu knows very well how to dispense 'justice' in cases involving members of the Royal Family and foreigners (read converts).
Sorry to burst your bubble but Raja Bahrin was never a saint before, during and after.
There is no need to argue who abducted who now. Love conquers all especially with mothers even with different religion. He did the right thing keeping the faith of the children then but you can't separate child from mother. It's in the blood. Sooner or later they go lookin'.
ReplyDeleteto anonymous who is disappointed in Rocky for not bru-ing issues of malaysian interest.
ReplyDeleteI beg to differ. first and foremost,if you have been reading his blog from the start, rocky has touched on the NEP, abuse of power, race relations the state of affairs of the country.
of course, you do understand his sentiments about the NST, (he) having worked there as a key editorial executive. I shan't go through the background of his having to leave the NST group.
And you do sense him attacking NOT the NST but the clowns, jokers and pretenders running the NST and ruining the NST. Look at the Malay Mail. It is being ruined by people who have no idea how to run a newspaper. It is being ruined because Kalimullah wanted Rocky out. To hell with the paper. Kalimulah couldnt care less what happens to the Malay Mail. Now, do you understand that an unprofessional vengeful person like kalimulah would feel extremely threatened and insecure by the presence of someone like Rocky.
why does rocky's bru centre on the NST? it is the microcosm of the problems of the present administration of the country. how NST is being run is exactly how the government is being run. that kalimulah is close to the corridors of power is no co-incident.
the NST run by Singapore operatives? the same operatives have very close association with the powers that be.
This is not just an NST problem.
what kind of newspaper will NST be reduced to when the GEIC is only concerned about becoming a millionnaire? and this joker has kalimullah's blessing. a lot of jokers would have kalimullah's blessing because they are the jokers whom he sorely needs.
ReplyDeletemy advice to the mediocre GEIC -- be careful. You trip and fall, you will find Kalimullah running as far away from you as he can. You should know by now the kind of creep that he is. the time will come when you will be of no use to him or when you become a liability, he will drop you like a ton of hot bricks. And let me tell you that there will be so many people ready to kick you.
if you are so pre-occupied with becoming a millionnaire,dont use your office-lah. quit and become a businessman. go learn from kalimullah how to make your first million easily.
Let's pray something will happen after hari raya or before year end. Kita tak mau dengar lagi nama-nama ini disebut lagi sbb tak membantu apa-apa pun pada bangsa oan negara.
ReplyDelete"Now, what would you think of a man who would do such a thing to his wife?"
ReplyDeleteWe should also ask, "Now, what would you think of a journalist who would publish such a lie about someone?"
I said "a lie" obviously because NST has published "an apology". It's high time someone stands up to NST for the half-truths told and the half-apologies they get away with. Let's see if there is any justice this time round or if they would just try to pull some connections to sorts out this one!
pascual and anakmsia, bingo! nst editors are privy to some state secrets. those spore operatives pass on the secrets to their masters. they also use the papers and tv/radio in the nstp/mediaprima group to spin, to back spore ventures, promote their leaders, quash anti-spore elements, etc.
ReplyDeletei'd say that if rocky's bru doesn't write about anything else other than those "clowns" in nst, he'd be doing a great service to this nation.
but then, he does delve into other issues and expose other clowns, too.
Watchout, STARS. They will come after like what they did to all the banks in the so called consolidations and mergers. Then the name will be changed to New Stars Times or New Straits Stars. With Kari and KJ as the CEO and COO.
ReplyDeleteBro Rocky,
ReplyDeleteHaving been a journalist for the whole of my working life mainly in the NST and its sister papers,I weep for the company.
The day Kali was appointed as the GEiC that was the beginning of the downhill ride for this grand old newspaper.
The day it became a tabloid that slide gained momentum and is now waiting for the death knell unless sdomething drastic can happen.
The sacking of Kali-Brendan - the singapore operatives - and their 'kuncu-kuncu' will at least arrest that slide. Hopefully they will try to get some good people back into the NST to do some major surgery to save this 'sick paper/company'. Neither Hisham nor Syed Nazri have the 'gumption' (to borrow Harry Lee's term) and ability to turn the editorial back on an even keel.
Just as the NST, the Malay Mail, a good and readable newspaper at one time is also in the throes of going to the grave. Look at it now. It can't even be called a newspaper.
Just like its parent that the Kali and his gang had ruined, the Malay Mail is also waiting for its demise.
The Star is also not much of a paper. It is not really a newspaper but nothing more than an ADPAPER. What kind of news can you expect from it. Nothing much at least in terms of substance, except for sanitised news and not much of analysis and in depth articles to help Malaysian understand issues as they break.
What it is good at is polishing all the listed and some other big companaies on how good they are and all for what; the almighty AD Dollar. That is the only thing the people running the Star understand.
And the paper is also very chauvinistic. Look at the kind of treatment they give to stories about Malays and chinese. The Chinese are always potrayed as being successful and given prominence. Success stories of Malays do appear but are invariabloy downplayed and not given the same explosure as stories on successes achieved by the Chinese.
But negative stories about the Malays are always played up. and by the same token downplayed if the people involved are Chinese.
So what is its agenda? Look at how at one time it was carrying success stories of only the Chinese Malaysian overseas. What was the intention if not to subtly tell that the Chinese cannot succeed here but can do so overseas?
The Sun at least have some analytical pieces but it is so anti-Malay as to render it unreliable. Sometimes I wonder whether people at the Sun as well as the Edge have any sense of understanding of multi-racialism. To them the Malays don't seem to deserve anything.
So what do we have in terms of the english language newspapers? ZILTH.
No wonder people are now relying more and more on the websites and the blogs.
Arb_OK wrote:
ReplyDelete“Halloumi, you have again demonstrated how shallow your mind is. You have been thiking along racial lines I suppose. And I am very sure that you are not a Muslim”.
Demonstrated again? Strange as this is my first contribution to this blog.
I will ignore the insults and try as best as possible to add depth and reason to this discussion. Isn’t that point of forums like this?
Sorry to break to you but yes I am a Muslim but obviously one with a different and realistic perspective based by actual experiences of how ‘justice’ is perpetrated by the system here. That was the point of my contention and it was never meant to “attack” the principles or the essence of Islamic Law. The essence of Islamic Law is truly a wonder; unfortunately it is in its execution that is sadly lacking.
If I may, I will respond point by point to the issues you have raised to hopefully illustrate.
“When they were married, it was in accordance to Islamic law (the religion his ex-wife voluntarily embraced) and their divorce (including custody of the children) should be based on Islamic law too. Would you not agree that when one marries under Civil Law and then seek to divorce the spouse under any other law (not necessarily Islamic Law), it amounts to mockery of the original jurisdiction not to mention your self respect and dignity”.
Absolutely, no issues here, especially that the divorce (and the custody) be based on Islamic Law too.
“I agree that when minors are involved, custody should be given to the mother as the welfare of the child is paramount. But if the child is born a Muslim and the mother had renounced Islam, no Syariah judge (in any part of the world) in his right frame of mind would allow custody to the mother”.
Now here is where I beg to differ, to my knowledge, at the time of the court hearing here in Malaysia (or more specifically Trenggannu) the mother was still a Muslim. She only renounced the religion back in Australia out of frustration for not be given a fair hearing here. Worse still she was treated (portrayed) as some sort of white trash and an unfit mother in the court.
It is understandable, though regrettable, that she subsequently decided to renounce Islam.
The crux of it is that there is an inherent bias against converts (especially foreigners) in the Shariah courts here. Perhaps as an enlightened and progressive Muslim you can help change things so that the image of the religion is restored in their eyes.
“To show the mother's malicious intent, she abducted the children to Australia and applied for custody in civil courts there. Of course she will win in Civil Courts. If I sit as a judge in Civil Courts, I will grant custody to the mother as long as she can show her capabilities.”
Have you ever pondered how she could have accomplished this? All alone, without family here and practically no money. Fishing boat out from Marang?
Sadly, here you demonstrate your racist tendencies by belittling the courts in Australia. If I take your point that the children’s welfare is paramount then perhaps that was the view of the Australian court.
“Have you ever pondered whether Raja Bahrin, a foreigner, fighting a court battle for custody with his Aussie wife Down Under got a fair trial? Is this not a classic example of a reversal of role?”
Neither of us can comment accurately on this unless you have details of the case but to assume that he wouldn’t stand a chance in Australia as a foreigner confirms your anti-western bias.
At least in Australia there are checks and balances against a corrupt judiciary. Can you honestly say the same for here? Seriously?
“But being a Muslim is another issue. If the mother becomes apostate, she is no longer fit to be the guardian due to the change of faith. That's why the father was given custody simply to protect the children's faith.”
At what price? Their faith or their well-being? Difficult one and perhaps you can enlighten me further on this. But again, what if at the time of the hearing here the mother was still a Muslim? Hopefully we can seek the bigger picture.
“The fact that he is a prince and was no angel is immaterial”.
Wow this is an amazing contention.
Sorry the system here works in such a way that it does matter who you are especially in feudal states where the judges owe their position to the Sultan.
There was another case where there was clear bias demonstrated against a convert divorcing a member of the Royal family. Fortunately that convert kept the faith despite the shoddy treatment received.
Now, as to the prince being no angel is immaterial, well I would hazard a guess that was the reason why the marriage failed in the first place. Wouldn’t details like that be considered by the court in assessing who to give custody to? How then can it be considered immaterial?
Don’t you think as Muslims we have a duty to protect the image of the religion as a just and fair one? If it means examining our warts then so be it.
and why does a Malaysian paper rewrite a Reuters feed and not credit the source? and since you are rewriting, why not make a call to the person himself to ask for clarification or even check the archive, knowing the foreign press ni selalu suka nak alih-maksud events to suit their agenda? or call him and do a piece from the other perspective?
ReplyDeleteni semua nak kerja senang.
i hope raja bahrin menang kes ni, NST needs the money. kesian kat malaysia - tak mampu nak bagi proper training to the journalists basic stuff.
oh, by the way...to halloumi & arb_ok;
ReplyDeleteread more at http://www.malaysia-today.net/MMblues/2005/03/writing-in-blissful-ignorance.htm
Dear Comrades:
ReplyDeletePlease click on the link below to view a short documentary on the roles of new media in malaysian latest general election March 2008.
http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=56943811
Best,
axis of monkeys