Thursday, February 28, 2008

No Free Media, no Free Election = no true democracy

As now everyone can see and read from the Mainstream News Media (MNM), it fully covers BN’s propaganda especially during election period. I hope someone would give me the figure about the proportion or airtime of reports for BN and opposition, how do they locate the news in the priority and how many negative, neutral and positive reports for both side of camps.

It is worth to point out that all MNM (in all languages) fell into Ruling party’s (BN) and their associated cronies’ hand. No kidding… previously relatively free Chinese language news media have been bought and gathered under one (Tiong Hiew King’s) belt.

Just like what is said in People’s Voice:
7. the control of media houses through subjective issuance of permits and the imposition of conditions, and the selective presentation of news and viewpoints that this approach creates, have by denying access to varied viewpoints and news further interfered with the ability of the rakyat to form coherent and comprehensive views on matters of national interest. This has not only skewed the processes of democracy but have also resulted in a significant part of the Malaysian community being incapable of the critical analysis that is essential for a growing democracy and a fast developing nation competing on the global stage. The rakyat have a right to information;

The point made here is, when there is no free and fair media, the General Election cannot be free and fair. Democracy must be demonstrated in a way that an informed decision is made. With current MNM’s reporting style, it is clearly bias towards BN, to blow the coverage of BN’s campaign out of proportion, and do not give the same amount of space and attention to opposition parties for balance views. When there is no enough discussion or debate or cross-talk to compare and contrast each others’ policies, the dominant voice is formed only due to media’s creation. People could not judge opposition parties fairly, because they are not given opportunity to rebut other party’s allegation and to defend their policy. People also cannot form a complete picture of what is opposition parties’ vision and what do they offer, if just base on MNM.

Just like how Nazi propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels’ work – if you tell a lie big enough thousand times go unopposed, people will eventually come to believe it. That is why BN using all ‘their’ MNM to suppress the dissident’s views. Otherwise they just let small amount of incoherent selective views published (it is better if they could be carried out in negative ways), trying to create an image of a weaker side of opponents. Once done enough with the cover-up and allegation, they just wait for people to buy it and harvest the result. In Malaysia, it is often the reports from internet (of course from the credible independent news agent) are more accurate and closer to the truth than any MNM is… just look at the record of BERSIH gathering you could tell. The sad reality is, there will be a good number of people would believe what is reported in MNM is all truth, wholeheartedly, without blinking their eyes and pause to think critically for a second. This is because, according to statistics there is only a small number of citizen out of the population actually has internet access. There is nowhere else they could get alternative news to shape their political awareness.

This is so dangerous, if all really dance into BN’s racial sentiments and lies. If the media itself cannot check and balance the government, what is the meaning of People’s paper (the Star’s motto)? People cannot even express their concern adequately and do not receive the (true, fair and unbias) professional & high quality news that they deserve to get (for the money they paid).
People do not give consent to Internal Security Ministry to order us what we shall read. They do so to undermine our people’s judgment and mature, critical thinking.

This long-standing problem is partly due to the Printing Act, Sedition Act and the trouble for news media owner to renew the printing permit annually, barring the MNM far from reporting what is truth (but disfavor to the ruling party). It’s only ‘partly’ I mean, because what is worse is, there are also some editors or senior reporters/writers not only do not want to show good examples for their profession and motivate their juniors, but willing to cooperate with and offer helps to those who rape the dignity of a journalist. Submission to authority is a sign of weakness.

The People’s paper and many other MNM forgot that People are the BOSS, Government should be afraid of People, not the other way round. So, encourage your friends and family to read MNM with cautions and read more independent news online to compare the facts. This is for your own good!!!

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

10 reasons why you should not vote for Barisan Nasional (BN) on 8th March – tell your family and friends

1) For your future career and salary – Incompetency of BN government in Economy Management – inflation rate’s up, petrol and toll price’s up, living cost increases but salary couldn’t catch up. Local job market is losing out to neighbor countries such as Singapore and Thailand.

2) For your personal, family’s and friends’ safety – Crime rate’s up. The number of crime cases has risen exponentially over the years. From 156,455 cases in 2004, the crime index figures released last year shocked the nation revealing that 224,298 cases had been recorded in 2007 (12.93% increase). .It was also reported last year that there was a dramatic 13.4% increase in violent crimes, of which rape cases were up by about 30% and gang robbery by a whopping 160%. Clearly, Police force is incompetent and failing to protect and guarantee the community safety. The proposed Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) has yet to be set up after recommendation from the Royal Police Commission in May 2005. Since then, BN government has abandoned the proposal.

3) For people’s benefits – BN = rampant corruption to core. BN is reluctant to endorse People’s Declaration, acts no interest on people’s welfare. BN and its cronies stole all from us!

4) For the freedom of mind and expression – BN’s owned mainstream media are often feeding people with lies and propaganda, suppress dissident’s views, fooling and corrupting people’s mind, in their interest. BN suppress rights of citizen to assembly and to express themselves freely through various means (for example, cracking down peaceful demonstration and prosecution of bloggers)

5) For the stability and harmony of the multiethnic society – BN component parties like to play racial card and incite hatred and distrust against other ethnic group, in order to champion themselves as the savior and protector of their respective race. Therefore they are creating more and more divisive tension in interracial relationship. For example, BN like to use May 13 incident to create fear among Malaysians. (However, from Dr. Kua Kia Soong’s studies, it suggests that it was actually a coup planned by UMNO)

6) For the continuity and tolerance of diversity of cultures and religion practices -
Under BN’s governance, more Hindu temples are demolished than built, less Churches and Chinese temples and no Chinese and no Tamil schools are included in BN’s development plan (except Election goodies). All this clearly shows that BN does not respect and appreciate the unique diversity of our lovely multicultural country and our rights to practice any religion.

7) For the good image and reputation of our nation –
BN’s members of Parliament are notorious for giving sexist and racist remarks in Parliaments. More corruption scandals are emerging and yet we saw no one is responsible for it and resign. An outdated and inhuman draconian law such as ISA is still applied to ordinary citizen. Our public universities’ standard are seriously compromised and plunged into new low when UUCA and Surat Aku Janji are in place to curb the creativity and the diversity of thoughts and to suppress the voice of conscience and integrity from students and academic staffs.

8) For better governance and transparency – BN does not promote an open tender system to allow competition from the best, but only offer to cronies. Too much bureaucracy for business and public services. No local council election and hence no heed to local community’s needs and demands. A seperation of power must be uphold - no more corrupted judiciary system, no more judge-brokering. Justice is not for sale, and no interference from executive arm of government is allowed!

9) For the future of our next generations – In the event of overexploitation of natural resources (petroleum, natural gas, forest trees, etc.) by BN’s current policy, our next generations have every right to live in a peaceful, harmony and economically sustainable nation and healthy environment. Our natural resources and lands are for all present and future Malaysian, not for sale to certain quarters of cronies. Our green lung should not be compromised in the name of development. The nation’s wealth shall be equally distributed to all. Positive affirmative action bases on class not race!

10) For the love of your country – Love our country by demanding for a government that truly cares for us, a system that is fair, equal and justice for all!!! No more discrimination, no more intimidation, no more covering up and fooling people. Say ‘NO’ to BN.


Please tell your family and friends to come out and vote on 8th March, Vote for any parties except BN. Show that you care for the future of Malaysia!!!





Talking about my contribution in this General election this time

In the heat of upcoming General Election, I have one week free to help to do some online campaigning. With the bid to create political awareness and urging those who are still in Malaysia to come out and vote for the right party, it’s not an easy task to do. Later I’ll be explaining my political view.

The good news is, this time I have a number of my friends participate politics on the front line – they are now nominated as candidate for different seats at different place.

My friends whom I know since college years from a student organization called DEMA, they are now contesting under Parti KeADILan Rakyat for their respective state seats. I still remember the last time, they were my direct senior, still have not yet graduated from local public University. They are real student activists, which have their ideology and principles shaped. They know (and I know) what they are fighting for… for democracy, freedom, justice and better Malaysia!!! They are no armchair critics who only speak or write but take no action in the part of change. They earn all my respect and my blessing.

They are

Ginie Lim 林秀凌 – PKR candidate for Machap state seat in Melaka
http://ginielim.wordpress.com/

Gan Pei Nei 颜贝倪 – PKR candidate for Rawang state seat in Selangor
http://peinei-rawang.blogspot.com/

Chang Lih Kang 郑立慷 – PKR candidate for Teja state seat in Perak
http://www.lihkang.com/cn/

(read the recommendation about Lih Kang in 小芳’s blog, quite funny)
http://fannychew.blogspot.com/2008/02/blog-post_21.html


Another of my PKR comrade, who is now Anwar’s personal aide secretary, he is a King’s college graduate who studied in Law.
He is now contesting in Seri Setia state seat in Selangor, just next to Subang Jaya state seat where my constituency is. He is bright and full of vision, a progressive moderate modern Malay. He worths all my support.

http://www.niknazmi.com/wordpress/

I also heard from my elder brother that DAP candidate (a young girl which is an Australian graduate) in our state constituency is SMKSU (my secondary school) alumni.

I wish I were back there in Malaysia now to provide the help that my friends desperately need. I could do lots more for them. But right now, I could only be contented about spreading words by the mean of cyberspace.

I also registered as a postal voter not long ago, but I am in great doubt if my status will be confirmed by Election Committee in time. Or will my ballot paper eventually arrive here in London and manage to get back there for vote-counting in time, I don’t have much hope. What I can do, is not just about my one vote. I could do lots more to persuade and influence my friends to come out and vote for the right party. That could, in the end convert more votes into the final result.

I’m still doing my part in London, please join me if you are interested. More plan details will be revealed later. ;-)

Update from me

Now it’s time to revamp and reactivate my blog for good reason – first, it’s certainly because my final exam is over!!! Yahoooo… maybe no more academic written exam for lifetime. Very good, isn’t it? Second, it’s my time to contribute for my beloved country during this election period. I have a week to do something about it, working towards the fall of BN and reconstitute a better and fair system for Malaysia!

Next Monday I’ll be going to take the next challenge --- I’ve got my first choice of the project selection. I’ll be staying most of the time in the lab in Chelsea & Westminster Hospital until September. It’s not a normal lab but a HIV lab, which is categorized risk level 3. I’ll be undergoing intensive training at first, in order to qualify myself to pass the Cat 3 test before I could deal with any HIV positive sample in Cat 3 lab.

I know my family, my dear gf, and my friends are worrying. But trust me, I don’t want to associate with any risk too. I’ll be extremely careful and discipline. It’s the time I gotta show the professional side of me, get serious and committed myself in scientific research which I like.

What makes me happy about it, is that the hospital is closer to my house than the Hammersmith Hospital which I spent all last 5 months attending lectures and practicals.
I’ll be cycling to the new hospital. I’m gonna save more transportation money and training myself to be more fit… what a good idea, muahahaha. Another thing is, finally I leave the sad place in Hammersmith hospital where you could only dine in their canteen or café… I’m bored to those repetitive menu and taste… now I’ll be in Chelsea (yeah!) everyday, and be spoilt of food choices (if I have time to do so to eat at different places)

Now, I’ll take the opportunity to apply phD position, since I am relatively free in this given one-week-holiday. I’m considering two applications in Germany, one’s in Heidelberg (German Cancer Research Center) and one’s in Berlin (Max-Planck Institute).
The phD research will be all conducted in English. Both institutes guarantee me grants and stipend if I am recruited. This saves me a lot of troubles to look for both funding and position in UK ( it is especially hard to obtain funding here for non-EU citizen in UK)
I’ve been thinking about doing a postgraduate degree in German-speaking country long time ago, now it seems like a good time to realize it and put it in action. I would like to face the new challenge and change the environment (after I’m getting so used to UK, especially London).

For those who are not in touch with me for long, what I’ve written above is an update from myself for you all. I would like to hear from you too. So, keep in touch!

;-)


(妙仪,你看懂吗?)