1 Malaysia ban pre-empts 'pressure' on firms to spread propaganda

Despite the storm created by the BN media and amid complaints of "pressure" from private firms to use the 1Malaysia logo , civil society groups and Pakatan Rakyat leaders praised the Selangor initiative to ban the logo from billboards to pre-empt abuse and dissemination of dubious propaganda that could send confusing messages to the people

“I am not sure if Pakatan should ban the logo but what I can see is that there is still doubt about what 1Malaysia stands for. Prime Minister Najib Razak should clarify in no uncertain terms if it is truly meant to be a unifying message, in which case there should be elements of racial equality. Until that is made loud and clear, many people will criticise the slogan as an empty or hollow one,” Ramon Navaratnam, past president of Transparency International, told Malaysia Chronicle.

False picture

In fight-back aimed at scaring the Selangor Pakatan into withdrawing the ban, mainstream newspapers in all the major languages published “angry” protests from the public and business sector.

Yet, the reality may be far from the picture painted by the BN media.

“The 1Malaysia logo has been over-franchised. We have 1Malaysia clinics, 1Malaysia milk even. But when it was at the government level, it wasn’t so bad. Now there is pressure on private firms to adopt the logo even though it has become meaningless,” PKR vice president Tian Chua told Malaysia Chronicle.

“Worse of all, 1Malaysia also has a subversive connotation because of its unexplained links to APCO. Many Muslims are avoiding the logo because of its Zionist connection and many companies privately tell us of ‘pressure’ to support the logo in their advertising. Banning will prevent these sort of unhealthy practices.”

Propaganda and unexplained use of taxpayers' money

Najib has defended the logo, saying it had no political motive. His comments were immediately ridiculed. Even DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang, who had earlier cautioned against the Pakatan ban, thrashed Najib’s explanation.

Mentri Besar Khalid Ibrahim has also slammed the BN for trying to direct negative publicity onto his administration over the issue.

“This slogan in any form does not mean anything to us, let alone scare us. The state government’s resources will be aimed at instilling proper values, combating corruption and ensuring justice for all,” his political secretary Faekah Husin said in a statement.

“If it is true that it is a unifying factor and not an Umno-BN propaganda, why has this never been debated or brought up in Parliament? Why is it not included in Budget 2011 seeing as the costs for this ‘lovely’ slogan has gone above RM100 million?” - Malaysia Chronicle