Providing fair and accurate news in New Malaysia

The dinner last week to mark 100 days of the new government did not go unnoticed at the neighbourhood Chinese restaurant. Although in a room, the stalwarts were in their element – emphasising (stridently) and accentuating that they had made the right decision.

It was unanimous: “We elected a government for five years; So why judge them after just a hundred days? So, we should stop adjudicating them before that.”

With that settled, the discussion moved to the media. And being the only media person in the circle, I was asked: “Why is so much space and airtime being given to Najib and the Umno leaders who caused us so much misery?”

That’s freedom of the press, freeing editors of their subservience to their political leaders who also double up as their owners. Editors should not censor articles and encourage journalists to tell it as it is – minus the party propaganda.

One asked: “Didn’t the BN people insist that (Prime Minister) Dr Mahathir Mohamed and his Pakatan Harapan colleagues be demonised? Shouldn’t they get a taste of their own medicine?”

This is the new Malaysia where the media work independently without any Sword of Damocles hanging over their heads.  

But why give Sungai Besar Umno chief Jamal Md Yunos so much space and time? Asked one.

He, I argued, provides some comic relief to the serious stuff that you read. Surely, the English folk did not take “Lord Sutch” and the Monster Raving Loony Party seriously when they contested the elections. Have a good laugh at his expense if you want to, or just treat him as a court jester.

The re-emergence of censorship?

Two days later, I had to ask myself if I had spoken too soon. I came across an article on the website of a national newspaper quoting former Bar Council president Param Cumarasamy. I left it for reading in my leisure time.

Among others, the article was not so complimentary towards the Council of Elders. But about three hours later, it had mysteriously disappeared. There was not a word in the printed edition.

Has censorship re-emerged? Are editors deciding what we should read and what we should not? If anything detrimental or negative of the government cannot be published, then are we not going to back the dark ages?  

Have editors changed from their pre-May 9 errant days? Is the era of “bodek” (apple polishing) to please the government returning? Are editors worried that the establishment will (as in the past) even give directions on advertisements?

Are they afraid of being given a dressing-down by some pen-pushing civil servant or a spin doctor who will dictate editorial content and even advertisements?

The government has not ordered or directed who should get coverage and who should not. Unlike BN which dictated editorial policies of most newspapers and TV stations, there has hardly been any such interference. On the contrary, the media has been encouraged to report freely.

However, last night, a journalist and a former colleague turned to Facebook with a candid post: “What the MCA candidate told me about today made me feel that MCA ada sedikit harapan (has some hope). But knowing how my story will be edited makes me feel that my story no harapan (hope) to tell this MCA harapan (hope) story. I will go and cry in one corner.”

In this instance, what is wrong in reporting that “MCA has a slim chance of winning?” Isn’t the candidate allowed to have his say, even if he was speaking in a ceremah where only 20 people were present? And should not it be reported?

That’s the real picture. Much of media is still afraid of “offending” the government and the ruling party. I have no qualms about the praise that is heaped on them, but if there is a downside, there should be equal criticism.

If the government has done wrong, don’t sweep it under the carpet like in the bad old days. Or are editors still using the same standard operating procedure with an amendment to switch the acronyms BN and PH?

With sessions of Parliament being beamed live by RTM and KiniTV, Malaysians are able to see how some of the opposition MPs are getting prised or roasted for their competence or the lack of it. But if coverage is tilted to one side without reporting the antics of the backbenchers, then the media will be accused of not being balanced in their reporting.

Freedom comes with heavy responsibilities. In new Malaysia, more responsibility has been put on the shoulders of editors. But providing fair, judicious and accurate news is down to common sense and its proper application. One does not need a degree in rocket science to present what we ought to read, instead of what the government and editors think we ought to read.

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R NADESWARAN is disappointed that some sections of the media continue to be mouth pieces of the government, disregarding some tenets of good journalism. Comments: citizen.nades22@gmail.com -Mkini