8 fallacies of Malaysia Today’s readers

From time to time I need to remind our readers what Malaysia Today (MT) is all about, what was the reason we launched MT in August 2004, and what is our mission, vision and agenda. I have received a lot of comments from readers about what we should and should not be doing. Let me clear up some of these fallacies.

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

1. MT is not an online newspaper

Some comment that we should be ‘careful’ about the news that we carry and that we should practice ‘proper journalism’.

MT is not an online newspaper. We are a psy-war and black ops outfit. Our job is to counter the spins of the government-controlled mainstream electronic, print and online news agencies. Nevertheless, we do pick up ‘third party’ news and blog postings from others to publish in MT. We do not generate our own news.

So we are not bound by ‘journalistic standards’.

2. MT is a guerrilla outfit

Our job is to ‘attack the enemy from behind enemy lines’. And just like in any ‘normal’ guerrilla operation, we select targets to hit and focus on demolishing these targets. Our aim is to create maximum damage to these targets with a view to cripple the ‘other side’.

3. MT accepts collateral damage

Sometimes, when we take out selected targets, some ‘non-combatants’ may suffer as well. This is the ‘collateral damage’ that we have to accept. In any guerrilla operation we can’t always ensure that innocent bystanders may not invariably get hit as well.

War does not spare the innocent and the objective of the operation is to ensure successful demolition of the target whatever the consequences.

4. MT is not Wikileaks

There are some who say that MT should just publish the evidence/documents of government wrongdoings and allow the readers to form their own opinion. They say MT should not make comments or write commentaries to influence the reader’s opinions.

MT is not Wikileaks. We publish evidence and documents whenever we can get our hands on them but when we can’t we shall publish what we are told by Deep Throats and inside sources.

Our key objective is to ‘turn around’ the readers to our way of thinking. So commentaries and our opinion of things are very crucial in being able to achieve this.

5. MT is not an opposition organ

There are some who feel that MT should focus on highlighting the transgressions, abuses, wrongdoings and violations of the government and not criticise the opposition, which would ‘give ammunition’ to the government to use against the opposition.

MT is not an opposition organ and we are not obliged to the opposition. Our job is to reveal the transgressions, abuses, wrongdoings and violations of the politicians and leaders and those who walk in the corridors of power at federal and state level.

6. MT is fighting for change

MT wants to see change. And change can be achieved in two ways. One way would be for the government to change (reform) and the other would be to change the government. Either way is fine as far as we are concerned.

Granted it may be almost impossible to expect the government to change after 54 years in power and 54 years of bad habits. So the only option open to us would be to change the government instead. But that is still one of the two options and we will leave both options open and go for the best option in achieving this change.

Currently, that best option appears to be to change the government rather than hope for the government to change.

7. Freedom of speech is not freedom to insult

There are some who feel that MT should not stifle freedom of speech and should not censor comments and postings in MT. MT is of the view that those who do not understand freedom of speech should not be allowed freedom of speech as this is like giving a flower to a monkey.

Even in the UK, which has a high tolerance for freedom of speech, they have zero tolerance for insults and racial slurs. You can get arrested and sent to jail for making racial slurs or for making any statement viewed as an insult to any race or religion.

8. MT is my home

While we invite comments and opinions, we also set the codes and norms for what you can and cannot do in MT. In any society, club, organisation, etc., there are codes and norms that you need to observe and if you violate these rules you would get evicted.

The final authority in deciding what is allowed and disallowed lies with us and we have the liberty to disallow what we would view as anti-social and uncivilised conduct or behaviour.

In your home you can do as you like. In our ‘home’ we decide what you can and cannot do. MT is not a democracy. There is no voting on how things are done. I own and run MT and my word is final. And if this does not suit you, you are free to take your business elsewhere.