Editors should confirm or deny Dr M’s allegation of self-censorship
by Dr. Lim Teck Ghee
Who Should the Finger of Blame Be Pointed Towards
Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad claims that actually it is the Press who self-censor. This allegation – repeated several times – was perhaps the most startling revelation made by the ex-premier in his speech at the Bloggers Universe Malaysia (BUM) dialogue in Subang Jaya on May 16, 2009.
"In Malaysia, usually censorship is something that the media itself carries out. You don't have to tell them, 'Look, don't do this, don't do that'. They somehow or other have got this ability to gauge what is it that the leadership wants. So during my time, you may have noticed that there was a good lot of praise for me. It was almost as if nothing I did was wrong,” Dr Mahathir said.
Is this culture of sycophancy practiced by our chief editors the main reason why we have had such a strong pro-Umno and pro-government media all these years? Is this self-censorship the main reason why the opposition parties, and other organizations and individuals that have put out views and policies counter to those of the establishment have been denied fair coverage in the papers?
By Dr Mahathir's own admission, the editors had tried to read his mind – “they believed I would not like [something] and that I would object” – and slanted their stories accordingly in their attempts to please him.
“… mainstream media, in particular the New Straits Times and the Utusan [Malaysia], they sort of second guess you as to what you want to be printed in their papers, and they did it”, he revealed to the rapt BUM gathering.
What now after this disclosure?
The Fear Factor in Self Censorship?
We can accept Dr Mahathir’s judgement on the situation of censorship in the media at face value or we can challenge it.
Is he speaking the truth or is his view reflective of the selective amnesia that many readers see as increasingly being practiced by our former Prime Minister in his bid to cover up the authoritarian excesses of his regime and to deflect the blame onto innocent parties.
