CIJ report: Pakatan also guilty of media control
(Malaysiakini) – While the BN-led federal government is still the ‘bad boy’ of media control, Pakatan state governments are not far behind, says press freedom watchdog Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ).
The NGO says this in a report titled ‘Freedom of Expression in Malaysia 2010‘ released in Kuala Lumpur tonight.
The report contends that it is normal for sitting governments to covet control over the media and what citizens say about them in order to ensure they continue to remain in power.
“The BN government, and to a lesser extent the Pakatan state governments, are no different and efforts to suppress genuine freedom of expression are likely to continue.
“There are worrying signs that Pakatan may also be susceptible to attempting to control the media,” the CIJ report says.
It lists several such “worrying” incidents it noted in 2010:
• The DAP-led Penang government’s continued ban on New Straits Times and Utusan Malaysia from its events.
• In May, journalists from Utusan Malaysia, which is highly critical of Pakatan, were barred from PKR’s sixth congress.
• In November, the PAS-led Kedah government barred selected media organisations from covering the state assembly sitting on the 2011 budget. New Straits Times, Utusan Malaysia, RTM and surprisingly, alternative news portal Malaysiakini, were among those barred.
• In December, the Selangor government took the step of disallowing 1Malaysia logos on advertising billboards, declaring this to be part of BN’s propaganda and political symbols.
High damages akin to curb
CIJ notes that several Pakatan leaders, namely Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, former PKR deputy president Syed Husin Ali and Seputeh parliamentarian Teresa Kok, had threatened or initiated multi-million ringgit defamation suits against the mainstream media, including Utusan Malaysia.
“Although legal measures should be available to counter false and damaging news, demanding prohibitively high damages can also be a form of curbing press freedom,” CIJ says.
The report also says that with a general election expected to be held close to March 2013 or earlier, both civil society as well as the federal and state governments are likely to up the ante.
“It will become increasingly difficult to silence the growing and divergent voices that have emerged, especially with the Internet’s growing role.
“It is hoped politicians will realise that times are changing and begin to engage with public opinion, instead of trying to control it,” the press freedom watchdog suggests.
Failure to do so, it warns, will only lead to a wider disconnect between political leaders and a disenchanted and disengaged electorate.
