Is the government getting paranoid about the media
So why get so hot under the collar about something that is already widely known and expected to happen soon?
Dennis Ignatius
[1] Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has lashed out at the foreign media for reporting that the government is planning to cut fuel subsidies in the coming weeks as part of its economic reform measures. He called the report “unethical” and hinted that it could be part of a wider conspiracy to undermine him because of his strong support for Palestine.
[2] For months, the PM and other ministers have talked about the need to reduce petrol subsidies. Wasn’t that one of the big reasons why PADU was rushed through? So why get so hot under the collar about something that is already widely known and expected to happen soon?
[3] According to Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil, it is because the media pre-empted an announcement by the government on the issue. “Don’t announce before it has been announced. Or rather, don’t report before it has been announced,” he said.
