3540 Jalan Sudin. Whenever another veteran journalist starts a blog, you know it can't be a bad thing. When that veteran journo is the daughter of the country's most revered journalist alive, you know something's brewing.
Nuraina A. Samad was NST's political editor when Abdullah Badawi won his big mandate in 2003. And, not know to many outside Balai Berita, the political editor was the first post Kalimullah Hassan abolished when he took over Balai Berita in 2004. He would also dismantle her political desk as part of a mad strategy to let the 4th Floor operators control the flow of the news that matters in the mainstream media, NST particularly.
Nuraina's sister, Maria Samad, was already a star reporter at The Star, specialising on politics, when I joined the tabloid in 1985 as a cadet reporter.
Their dad, A. Samad Ismail, is the Tokoh Wartawan Negara.
Even if politics is not your cup of tea, then 3540 Jalan Sudin is one blog you'd want to bookmark!
The list of journos and ex-journos adding power to the Malaysian blogs is still short but growing. The ones I bookmark include:
Zaharah Othman (Kak Teh's Choc-a-Blog)
Susan Loone (Susan Loone's in-Human Rights)
Tengku Elida (The Madness of Mokciknab)
A. Kadir Jasin (The Scribe),
Ahmad A. Talib (Pahit Manis)
Ruhanie Ahmad (Gerbang Ruhanie)
Ong Hock Chuan (Unspun)
Fathi Aris (Patah Balek)
Syed Imran (Kuda Ranggi)
Amir Hafizi (The Malay Male)
Khalid Jaafar (Khalidjaafar.org)
p.s. at 10.05 pm
Tsk. I left out Marina Mahathir (rantingsbyMM) from my bookmark of journobloggers above. She was a journalist with Berita Publishing, then a subsidiary of the NSTP, between 1980 and 1984.
Hi,
ReplyDeleteThis is not really a comment but an alert.
I tried to access the following websites but was informed that Internet Explorer could open the sites but I was forbidden from entering:
Cakap Tak serupa Begin (maverick), The Malaysian, What a Lulu and Ktemoc
I have not logged into or pasted any comments on these sites before and wonder if this is a new form of net censorship by the powers that be!Please inform the website owners that this is happening.
Many Thanks
Shopaholic
shopaholic, no la. blogger died. internet traffic sux. but maybe it is some insidious plan to curb press freedom on the internet...
ReplyDeleteBUT APPLE LAUNCHED THEIR NEW SNAZZY ipod+phone+internet IPHONE today!!!
so slick, so sexy
btw, rocky, i think your post erm..got 'censored' accidentally
Rocky, is thatsupposed to be Ah, Nuraina A. samad, Ah, Nuraina A samad?
ReplyDeletewhatever it is, ah is hopping along to visit her!
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeletefl2020, thanks. the original posting was a lot longer. will bring back the missing parts.
ReplyDeleteAnd ah, Ah! u are so cute! Thanks for dropping by today. Salams to the cool 1.
rocky,
ReplyDeletehurry hurry. i want to read the rest of your blog about kak nuraina. i love her. i learnt so much from her. she d best.
jaz
KL
let us continue for you. kalimullah immediately dismantle the political desk. discredited shamsul akmar by saying spreading terrible things about him which were half-truths. put nurina back on the newsdesk. kalimullah wanted to have control of politcal coverage. nuraina was already doing senior assignments when kalimullah first joined the NST back in the 80s.
ReplyDeletedon't tell anyone. but he was not about to let the likes of nuraina move up the nst ladder any higher than she was.
but we are happy she is writing.
what is her blog, rocky.
anonymous 9:24,
ReplyDeletethanks for the help.
and fl2020, i do owe you a response to your comments on my last posting, of whether i thought there's more press freedom in the mainstream media now compared with when i was still there as editor in the mainstream media.
the answer is no. there was a lot more freedom then. but not because the government allowed the media to be freer or dr m was more tolerant. there was more freedom then because there were editors and journalists then who were pushing the line of tolerance because they craved for that freedom for themselves and for their readers.
when i was made acting editor of business times (97) pak samad told me that i must, if i wanted to make a difference as editor in this country, swim against the tide/current. that i have tried to do, which is why i've never been ashamed to say, yes, i was editor of the mainstream media before.
among many editors then, there was no fear of losing our positions as editors. editors were supposed to "die bloody deaths", anyway. (kadir jasin, dolah kok lanas, johan jaafar, nazri abdullah, rejal arbee, ahmad talib, zainudin maidin, mazlan nordin, and even pak samad were all booted out, sacked, or asked to leave at one time or another for their views and the stand they took).
just before kalimullah joined the NSTP, i told him at austin chase in bangsar, which used to be his favourite hangout before i decided to take over, that he would die a bloody death, just as editors before him did. he told me he will not. true enough, he did not.
but that's because he was not pushing any barriers or parameters, he wasn't doing what an editor should be doing. he had stopped being a journalist a while ago. he was at nstp to take care of his and some people's interests. he does not believe in press freedom because a free press would have devoured him - and his friends - alive.
the situation is not hopeless, though. theSun, on certain days, gives me hope. Syed Nadzri, the new group editor of NST, will be pushing harder than Brendan. And we have Malaysiakini and MalaysiaToday and AgendaDaily and KMU. And the blogs and bloggers, like you and i.
YES! YES!
ReplyDeleteFINALLY! Nuraina A. Samad has finally decided to join the bloggers. Cool, man, cool.
Looking forward.
thanks, Rocky, my bro, for alerting us on the doyen's daughter's blog.
(sorry, nuraina. i know you are your own person. But Pak Samad! cannot resist)
anonymous 9:24,
ReplyDeletethanks for the help.
and fl2020, i do owe you a response to your comments on my last posting, of whether i thought there's more press freedom in the mainstream media now compared with when i was still there as editor in the mainstream media.
the answer is no. there was a lot more freedom then. but not because the government allowed the media to be freer or dr m was more tolerant. there was more freedom then because there were editors and journalists then who were pushing the line of tolerance because they craved for that freedom for themselves and for their readers.
when i was made acting editor of business times (97) pak samad told me that i must, if i wanted to make a difference as editor in this country, swim against the tide/current. that i have tried to do, which is why i've never been ashamed to say, yes, i was editor of the mainstream media before.
among many editors then, there was no fear of losing our positions as editors. editors were supposed to "die bloody deaths", anyway. (kadir jasin, dolah kok lanas, johan jaafar, nazri abdullah, rejal arbee, ahmad talib, zainudin maidin, mazlan nordin, and even pak samad were all booted out, sacked, or asked to leave at one time or another for their views and the stand they took).
just before kalimullah joined the NSTP, i told him at austin chase in bangsar, which used to be his favourite hangout before i decided to take over, that he would die a bloody death, just as editors before him did. he told me he will not. true enough, he did not.
but that's because he was not pushing any barriers or parameters, he wasn't doing what an editor should be doing. he had stopped being a journalist a while ago. he was at nstp to take care of his and some people's interests. he does not believe in press freedom because a free press would have devoured him - and his friends - alive.
saudara rocky,
ReplyDeleteterima kasih kerana menyiarkan berita mengenai adinda nuraina samad.
sudah masuk tadi di blog beliau. tak sangka saudari nuraina sudah 50 tahun. awet muda, sudah tentu.
saya kenal saudari nuraina. maklum lah saya ni orang lama.
saudari nuraina antara wartawan senior di malaysia. apatah lagi di antara wartawan2 wanita. dan beliau sangat berpengalaman. very professional.
Mengenai pandangan saudara tentang kebebasan akhbar dulu dan sekarang. SYABAS, saya ucapkan.
Saya setuju seratus peratus.
NST sekarang di terajui oleh orang2 yg menyamar sebagai wartawan, (kecuali Syed Nadzri dan segelintir yg lain).
Hishamudin Aun, dahulu seorang pemberita true and through. Sekarang dia kaki bodek Kalimulah. Itu sahaja. Dan takut kehilangan jawatan.
Saudara -- dulu lain sekarang lain.
Bro,
ReplyDeleteThere are many more journalists who are blogging but not giving away their identities because they are still in the system.
Blogging is an avenue to, among others, document thoughts and ideas which would not see the light of day under the present management.
Bukan Orang Penang
Rocky!
ReplyDeleteTo all blogsiters!
I do not wish to rain on you guys parade, while I admire your tenacity to fight the "evil empire" it is like the Indian bow and arrow to fight against the winchester guns. Indians and cowboys and you always know who will win!
I was told Pak Lah is not even aware of the blogsites attacking him, he didnt even know stuff about him and his RM30 million yacht being written about in the internet! Nuraina, Rocky and all the internet warriors I wish you guys luck fighting for justice because from the look of it they always win, if I am wrong I will apologise!
pasquale, kami tak kisah kalau pak lah tak tahu (memang dah dia macam tu pun!), tapi at least orang2 yg perlu tahu, tahu. terutama pengundi2 yg tertipu seperti kami ni.
ReplyDeleteto pasquale...who said,"I do not wish to rain on you guys parade, while I admire your tenacity to fight the "evil empire" it is like the Indian bow and arrow to fight against the winchester guns. Indians and cowboys and you always know who will win!"
ReplyDeleteit's obvious pasquale has been watching too many Hollywood movies!...and after watching all those "Rambo" movies, a lot of people must be of the opinion Vietnam lost the war too!
coming back to the Red Indians and cowboys...ever heard of The Alamo?
Now that we have the 'white list' of gentlemen/lady bloggers, let's 'lock and load' to fight the good fight.
ReplyDeleteAs the critical mass of dissent and disclosure(s) on the current administration increases, I do hope that it will ultimately create political awareness and maturity amongst Malaysians.
The best painters lead wretched lives and if the best journos 'die bloody deaths', let the word remain in perpetuity to justify their sacrifices.
For pseudo 'newshounds' like KH, their names, faces and doodlings will be long forgotten before the body sets in rigor mortis.
....................................
Pasquale,
Would you rather live life on your knees than perish on your feet?
No malice intended coz I still admire your passion and honesty here at Rocky's.
rocky, to say that people like abdullah ahmad, nazri and of all the people, Kadir Jasin, died bloody deaths is an insult to every journalist worth his salt. You and I know that these so-called journalists were the pawns of the establishment. They have been tained by their association with the regime of the day. They prospered because they played their cards right and probably benefited tremendously. They are not martyrs, they just outlived their shelf life and were discarded unceremoniously because the power-that-be found they had outlived their usefulness.
ReplyDeleteRocky, I wonder if with so many power-house journalists now on the web if there is now critical mass for you to prodice a joint blog-based physical newszine or even weekly of your collective writings.
ReplyDeleteI imagine the Scribe's firm has the prerequisite licenses to facilitate this. Otherwise, I imagine one can partner with one of the many other "mosquito" weeklies in Malaysia
Interesting view nstman. So by your logic then, Uncle Kali, Wong Chun Wai, Gunasegaram et. al. would also likely be discarded when their shelf life was over.
ReplyDeleteBy your same logic then, all these men are also getting tremendous benefit from the current regime! Actually this does make sense as I see Uncle Kali and Wong Chun Wai at least on the boards of plcs now.
Hmmm... I though Dollah Kok Lanas was dismissed because of a piece he wrote about the Saudis. Do your words then confirm the suspicion that that was just an excuse to replace him with Uncle Kali so Uncle Kali can benefit?
i agree with gabungan...maybe something like dailykos.com
ReplyDeletealso in light of gadgets like the super COOL iPHONE, eventually (but still damn long more but 5-8 yrs not too far away) as the cost of techology goes down more people will have access to the internet to the news...
just think about it, nowadays almost all the new mobile phones has a camera, wap and more...only about 10 years ago we were lugging the NOKIA brick with a green LCD screen around :D
yo...nstman...what a lovely surprise!
ReplyDeletefor once...you are very, very agreeable.
I support your view on this one 101%.
in a nutshell...the two major problems with a lot of Malaysians:
a) suka makan PUJI
b) tak boleh di tegor langsung bila dah jadi orang BESAR...resulting in stagnation of the minds of all and sundry!
(please note that the term "suka makan puji" could not be adequately translated to the English language without losing its nuances.)
Some may disagree with nstman but there is some truth in what he said. Nevertheless I cannot look down upon guys like Kadir who took the opportunity and a bloody golden handshake to grab whatever he can before saying goodbye to nst. Not many people were 'businessminded' enough or maybe lucky enough to be in his situation. Hey anyone would grab BP for a buck, but not anyone can keep it afloat even with bad titles pulling him down.
ReplyDeleteHow many ex-editors have made it out on their own in the dog eat dog world of publishing eh bro? Not many..even our friend is struggling with Malaysia Today.
Those with successful rags today were not from the NST group crowd. The only one would be Kadir. So, even if he was not a matyr or even a good 'true' journalist, he is a survivor, and if he is trying to make amends of his past by writing good blogs, then why kick him?
cucuparit
your catalogue looks like a list of discarded political props or is this a list of cynical old men/women who walk on the wrong side of their political masters that don't get paid as promised? Susah susah dahulu, lagi susah kemudian....
ReplyDeleteso many ex journalist. :) AMLG Tak leh cari makan la :)
ReplyDeleteApa pun selamat memeriahkan dunia blog yang kian menyeksakan ini. :p
p/s: Lama dulu jadi "wartawan cabuk" jap (sekitar sebulan) di utusan Malaysia.
Datuk Rejal Arbee ada blog juga di mykmu.net
ReplyDeletehttp://www.mykmu.net/modules.php?name=News&file=categories&op=newindex&catid=2
nstman
ReplyDeleteHe is just a Kalimullah's machai - polishing apples and shoes all the time. He should call himself as ECMLIBRA-MAN!!! And at he smae time put his real name then he will get instant promotion - taking over Brendan, the plagarist position.
nstmanshould be ashame of himself to stay in nst when its readerships are dropping everyday. Whom want to read papers whose no.1 man (Kalimullah) was caught lying in his June 11 article (about Tun meeting the Sleeping Beauty)and his righthand man, Brendan, was caught plagiarising.
Please do not run down Datuk Kadir and the others, they are far more superior than Kalimullah, who was no qualm about killing his friends like Samsul Akmar, Rcoky and the like. Do you know that these two friend used to take care of Kalimullah when he was pissed and made sure that he got back home allright?
nstman, please wake up. Please look at what Kalimullah has done to nst? Do ou dare to say that you are proud to be part of nst??? Malaysians are fed up with nst under Kaliular.
ooops...got my history all mixed up...sorry...The Alamo was with the Mexicans...its The Little Bighorn.
ReplyDeletesince I'm at it...here is a small list of Red Indian Chiefs who at one time or another have had successes with their bows and arrows against the Winchesters.
a. Sitting Bull(1834? - 1890)
b. Cochise (1800? - 1874)
c. Geronimo (1829-1909)
d. Kicking Bird(ca. 1835-1875)
e. Little Turtle(1752 - 1812
f. Captain Jack(1837 - 1873)
g. Crazy Horse(1844? - 1877)
Nuraina who?
ReplyDeleteBru,
ReplyDeleteI am a new commentator to your blog but i am not new to your blog. I go to your blog everyday but have never contributed anyhting yet. I juust enjoy reading the comments and your postings.
But, I thought I need to say something about Nuraina Samad. Do I know her? yes. And she would know me if I disclose my identity.
I know she took the VSS. I also know that her application was initially rejected. How I know? I got friends at the NST, brother. Not just the reporters. The management also. What a pity. But can you imagine, bru. Do you think Kalimullah would feel comfortable with Nuraina in his team?
She, like you, Shamsul, Zainul, Lazrokk and some others, CANNOT fit in. You guys would be out of place. It would be so WRONG and SINFUL for you all to be in Kalimullah's team.
You and I and the rest of the world know that if Kalimullah had his way, he would kick out Syed Nadzri. Political expediency, my friend. But in Kalimullah's case, sheer cowardice. To rid Syed Nadzri, the last man standing (from the previous NST regime) would hv dire consequences for Kalimullah.
By the way... kudos and shabas to Nuraina.
I know she was a damm good editor and journalist.
She also dam good looking (for a 50 yr-old)
(please dont scold scold me, aah?)
I just wanted to say.. to Anon 348 pm that the Alamo was fought between the Texans and the Mexicans. I fail to see the connection to Cowboys & Red Indians..
ReplyDeleteAnon (7.33am),
ReplyDeleteYeah, I was wondering about the Alamo but you did the right thing with the correction.
Anyway, the wetbacks did whup them yankees at the Alamo, didn't they.
Remember that Mex general character which has a certain resemblance to our village idiot. Pomposity personified.
Gee, I wonder if Kickdefella would be kind enough to come up with another movie poster gem.
Rocky!
ReplyDeleteTo anonymous moron!
I have attended the Sundance ceremony in Montana, remember the movie "The Man Called Horse", my Indian name is Beaver in Dakotah language!I was short of being hoisted by eagle claws suspended in mid-air, had to decline because of my short holiday! (or may be I was scared!)
I was an honorary member of the West Coast Kwakiutul Indian of Vancouver Island for many years! This has enabled me to work on a salmon fleet reserved for the native. I have attended the Oka standoff in Montreal, Canada, I have been to Wounded Knee (no big deal) I have met RusselMean (great guy but was an Indian never made it to overthrow the American establishment)he was leading the most radical American Indian Movement (AIM)! No I do not watch that many Holywood movies!Yes Indians won many small battle but never a single big war (Russel Mean said this) where they can subjugated the whites! Why! Because they do not have the really big bombs or guns! No Vietnam did not win the war, the US simply retreated because the country is not safe because of chemical and land mines hazards. Vietnam today still bear the untreated scars of the war and there are still millions of landmines buried in the country side and the people still suffer from genetic defect from agent orange and other chemical and biological warfare! No! the US did win the war there! And you "anonymous moron" who ever you are please get your facts right!
Rocky your site is beginning to sound like machai.com please do something! Either you censure me out or do not use infantile posters to your respectable blogsite!
Rocky!
ReplyDeleteShar 101! "If only you can see what I have seen" (Bladerunner)Yes!I would rather perish on my feet! Rather than live alongside Morons!
Trust said...
ReplyDeleteNuraina who?
-----------------------------------
Which planet you from?
Go google her and you will know who she is.
hi rocky,
ReplyDeletethank you for the introduction. but, oh. you shouldn't have.
as usual, your blog is so so interesting. your loyal commentors argue all the time. and thank God, it is not about me. Phew!
cheers and thanks again.
I'll thank you again when I next see you.
Bye for now.
Sorry as this posting has nothing to do with Nuraina's new blog, but this has been circulating via email for some time and wanted to share this with you;
ReplyDeleteKalau betullah cara kira kos petrol begini... awak ditipu hidup-hidup...
Price petrol per barrel worldwide = USD60.00
Processing fees per barrel = USD10.00
PRICE IN TOTAL PER BARREL = USD70.00
(Exchange rate: USD1.00 = RM3.70)
Means: USD70.00 x RM3.700 = RM259.00 per barrel (in total)
Note: 1 barrel = 200 Liters...
Kira balik... RM259.00 / 200 Litres = RM1.295 (per Liter)
per litre is only RM1.295 and not RM1.92 ...
No such thing as gov subsidy.. RM60 for petrol and the possessing fees
is fixed by worldwide...
Note: Latest price of oil per barrel has dropped to USD55 as per last night.
p/s: Boleh percaya ke?
so, according to pasquale...a moron is someone who does not agree with what pasquale has to say.
ReplyDeleteOK...lets play along with this notion.
first pasquale said, "Indians and cowboys and you always know who will win!"
then, pasquale said, "Yes Indians won many small battle(s)..."
evidently pasquale can't even agree with pasquale!
so, what makes pasquale then?
the moral lesson here is that writing is NOT quite as easy as we think it is!
for example, there are well over 600,000 words in the English language and let's just use 3 of them...i.e. skirmishes, battles and wars.
one can win the war but lose some battles and skirmishes along the way.
so, one cannot generalize by saying that one group always wins because what was won?...the war, the battles or the skirmishes?
another moral lesson is to learn from one's mistakes...this way one improves oneself.
the next time someone points out the error of your ways don't come out calling people names...it just shows the world who you really are!
and...please get off that high chair because you sound exactly like the Malaysian that Anon 9:14pm was talking about.
also, please be aware of the great difference between a reason and a million excuses.
there is only one reason to do something good and a million excuses not to!
as for Vietnam, please go here for a good read.
And as long as I don't have to utter the words "I see dead people", everything else can and should be seen.
ReplyDeleteto shar101...any self-respecting person would apologize for his/her mistakes...it only shows accountability for what was said.
ReplyDeletegenerally speaking, in the cyberworld no one really cares about who or what you are...it's how you present yourself that is important.
it's not about trying to impress anyone or to be one up on someone...it's all about learning.
if one has something to say...then just say it...maybe we could all learn something.
however...if one cannot express oneself...then, go learn before one embarrasses oneself.
an admission of fault is the first step in the learning process.
let's all learn to improve ourselves!
oh...before I forget...please note the expression get off the high chair instead of the usual horse?
see, babies sit on high-chairs, and ,when babies want something, babies get...if not, be prepared for some audio abuse!
but, then again, babies don't really know what they want...do they?...they just want it! (unless, of course, when they are hungry...then, they know what they want!)
anon 6:03 PM,
ReplyDeletewell said!
pasquale, you sure your indian name isn't LITTLE big horn, as in desperately blowing your own, puffing spit for lack of real air in the lungs?
what a sad case you are. i think i've said this before. do get over yourself! no one visiting Rocky is impressed with your empty toots, i'm sure.
Ambe tak kenal Nuraina. Her bylines were never conspicuous enough. Don't give two hoots who her father was.
ReplyDeleteTrust said...
ReplyDeleteAmbe tak kenal Nuraina. Her bylines were never conspicuous enough. Don't give two hoots who her father was.
==================================
You poor ignorant thing.
Trust,
ReplyDeleteKalau tak da benda nak cakap tak payah cakap- tak payah kurang ajar.
to the rest,
Actually this guy proves the failing of our educational system, especially in history education. We are churning out engineers, doctors , lawyers,etc-etc, yet they r still not educated