Utusan Malaysia and the Sultan

(fz.com) – “I’m sure Awang Selamat does not have the courage to write as he did unless he had got the go-ahead to hit out at the Sultan”

Umno mouthpiece Utusan Malaysia has found itself under attack from, of all people, Umno folks. At least, some Umno folks.  From Johor to be precise. Why? The  way Utusan dealt with the recently passed controversial Johor Housing and Real Property Enactment Board Bill. That’s why.

So we have a situation when even the Umno assemblyman for Bukit Permai (in Johor, of course) Ali Mazat Salleh slammed Utusan for provocation and demanded that the paper apologise.

But the Umno-owned newspaper on the other hand is also finding itself in unfamiliar territory, so to speak – i.e. being praised by people who would usually criticise them, for its handling of the same controversial issue.

Known Utusan critics are even labelling the newspaper “brave and bold“ in preventing the Johor  palace from  “interfering  in state administrative matters”. It’s clear those now showering praises on Utusan share the same dislike for perceived   palace intervention.  A classic case of sharing the same objective with the ‘enemy ’ (pardon the expression).

And many netizens who usually “despise” Utusan are now saying the paper “did the right thing”. As far as the Johor issue is concerned.

‘Well being of the rakyat’

So just how brave an bold was Utusan in “fighting the cause”? I’ve no intention of repeating what the paper had reported as all the said reports are available in online archives.

Suffice to say the paper had roped in people to talk against the proposed Bill, had asked the Menteri Besar to postpone its tabling  (in its original form),  and this is the stinger –  saying “it doesn’t matter if the Sultan is angry as long as the well being of the rakyat is not jeopardised’.

As if that’s not enough, the paper said it would not answer any royal summons to appear before the Sultan of Johor following its criticism of the controversial Bill.

Brave and bold, wouldn’t  you agree?  Weren’t they afraid of being accused of sedition? Or, dare I say it,  “derhaka”? That’s Malay for, again dare I say it, treason.

“Isn’t it odd that Utusan, the self-acclaimed defender of the Raja-Raja Melayu and the Malay race, suddenly being brave enough to menghentam  the Sultan of Johor? I’m sure they acted upon instructions from those in power in Putrajaya”,  said former Utusan journalist Hata Wahari .

By saying those in power in Putrajaya, he could very well have meant Umno leaders.

‘Go-ahead to criticise the Sultan’

And according to Hata, he said that what he said was based on his experience working from the inside for 16 long years

Hata, as we know, was sacked some time ago for criticising the editorial policy of Utusan, which he claimed was “partisan, biased and racist”.

And Hata went on to say: “I’m sure Awang Selamat does not have the courage to write as he did unless he had got the go-ahead to hit out at the Sultan”. (Awang Selamat  is of course the collective pen name of Utusan editors).

Hata also said he believed Umno leaders do not want to be seen as being “derhaka”  to the Sultan so Awang Selamat is used to carry out the task of criticising  the Ruler”.

Umno detractors say it’s typical of Umno to hit out at a particular target  “as and when it suits them”.

Reports ‘raised many an eyebrow’

Anyway come to think of it, the things Utusan said can or is viewed by some quarters as “rude” to the Sultan, if not “seditious”. Any other people other than Utusan and Umno they say would be in trouble already.

To Hata, the same style of Utusan reporting or modus operandi was used  “in the days when  (Tun Dr) Mahathir (Mohamad) clipped the powers of the Raja Raja Melayu”.

Which brings us to those days of old.  In 1983 and 1993 to be exact. The constitutional crises.

Ask  veteran journalists who covered the events then and they will tell you of writing news reports which hurt the Rulers, to say the very least.  And the words used they say “raised many an eyebrow”.  Again to say the very least.

So too the things “screamed” by Umno leaders. Be it during press conferences or in  public speeches.

The Umno leaders and the pro-Umno media then were bold and brave as somehow they felt they were “insulated”  by the powers that be.

Now this. What’s that people say of history repeating itself?