Journos must stand firm against bigotry
Police action against journalists and media houses have become more frequent, its use sanctioned by those allied to the ruling political elite. Very clearly, these actions are aimed at criminalising free expression and free reporting.
By uppercaise
The journalism fraternity needs to stand firmly by the Malaysian Insider and its reporter, who have now become the latest targets in a running series of attempts to intimidate reporters, bloggers and media houses, and to gag dissident or critical opinion through police action.
Thinking is not a crime.
Having an opinion is not a crime.
Expressing an opinion is not a crime.
And journalists must stand together to stand up to the bullies who want to make it a crime.
They must also make a firm stand to ensure the safety of Boo Su-Lyn, the young Insider reporter whose photograph has been published by pro-Umno blogs with remarks being made about her ethnicity as well as critical comments that it was unethical for her to sneak uninvited into a closed-door meeting.
Journalists must not allow bullies to hold sway.
Exposing wrong-doing is not a crime.
Exposing political infiltration of institutions of government is not a crime.
* Photo from AgendaDaily.com
Nor is it unethical to report on a closed-door political meeting when the public interest is being served. What politicians say and do affects the public at large. The public deserves to be told what they are up to, behind closed doors or not.
It may be bad manners to be present when you’re not invited. But it is not unethical for a journalist to do so when the public needs to know. Boo Su-Lyn and the Insider’s initiative in exposing possible wrong-doing deserves to be upheld.
Exposure of photographs of her at the meeting now makes her an obvious target — and the authorities must be asked to ensure her safety.
Guarding her safety does not mean placing her under ISA detention — supposedly for her own protection — as happened to Sin Chew reporter Tan Hoo Cheng who similarly reported racist remarks by Penang Umno’s Ahmad Ismail in August 2008.
Police action against journalists and media houses have become more frequent, its use sanctioned by those allied to the ruling political elite. Very clearly, these actions are aimed at criminalising free expression and free reporting.
Read more at: http://uppercaise.wordpress.com/2010/10/04/insider-boo-su-lyn/
