A foretaste of a more repressive regime appearing soon after present Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi leaves the UMNO stage as President is amply seen in the way how the UMNO-led government treats the Opposition and new media.
Just around the bend in one week’s time, DPM Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak takes over as head of BN Government from Abdullah Badawi, and two major developments are clear signs that Malaysia will soon beget a more repressive regime. Deja Vu for Mahathir fans and rivals alike? The current UMNO General Assembly has posted a “NO ENTRY” sign to visitors, especially of media personnel trying to practise responsible and independent journalism, who are deemed as “the enemy” if they don’t promote UMNO’s viewpoints and cause. UMNO’s actions do not care for the nation’s interests as their top officials wield the big stick, especially via the UMNO ministers in charge of Information, to browbeat journalists and rival party organs. CPI collates below several takes on the ominous developments that will impact on freedom of information and media practice post-Pak Lah. — YL Chong, Editor, CPI
New media denied passes by ruling party
by Rahmah Ghazali, Malaysiakini
24 March 2009
At least six new media publications including Malaysiakini have been denied media accreditation by Umno to cover the party’s annual general meeting beginning today.
No official reasons were given for the party’s decision in denying official access to these news organisations to cover the five-day meet.
Apart from Malaysiakini, the other organisations denied official access are The Nut Graph, Malaysian Insider, Siasah, Merdeka Review and Chinese website Laksou.
Malaysiakini submitted its applications on Feb 27 and was unofficially informed yesterday that it would not be granted accreditation.
Officials at the party headquarters today informed Malaysiakini journalists that the decision to deny the official media tag was made at a higher level.
It is believed that the instruction to reject the applications was given by Umno secretary Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor.
“They had a meeting on which media are entitled for the media tags, and there are six ‘bloggers’ that they have decided to leave out,” said Umno media officer Abdul Hamid Satar.
Interestingly, some of these media outfit, including Malaysiakini, have the Information Ministry’s approved media tags.
Malaysiakini Editor-in-Chief Steven Gan expressed disappointment over Umno’s rejection of the online daily’s application for press passes.
“I find it strange that though we were finally recognised by the government last year, the party is now out of step in its dealings with the new media.”
He said that despite the restrictions on Malaysiakini journalists, the website will not be deterred from filing reports on the assembly.
“We have been covering the Umno general assembly without fail since 2000 and this year is no exception”.
No entry to certain areas
Traditionally, media outlets without accreditation cards from the Information Ministry are not given media passes for the Umno general assembly. Despite this, Malaysiakini has consistently applied for media passes to cover the annual meeting.
However, in 2007, Umno issued press passes to online news portal Agenda Daily.
According Agenda Daily editor Rosli Ismail, the Malay political website has been issued press passes again this year. It is perhaps the only new media organisation to be given the passes.
Without the Umno media pass, Malaysiakini journalists would not be allowed access into the main halls of the meeting. Even access to press conferences by party leaders would be difficult.
However, Malaysiakini journalists would still be able to mingle outside the meeting halls at the Putra World Trade Centre in Kuala Lumpur where the assembly will be held.
The Umno meeting this year is an important event as it will see the passing of leadership baton from Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to his deputy, Najib Abdul Razak.
The party polls are also expected to bring about some unexpected results.
Malaysiakini‘s run-in with Umno has been on-going since the former was launched almost 10 years ago.
The news organisation was previously barred from covering the party’s supreme council meetings, a ban which was lifted about a year ago.
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Internet media barred from Umno
by Deborah Loh, The Nut Graph
KUALA LUMPUR, 24 March 2009: Umno, which started its general assembly today to plot the party’s renewal under a new leadership, showed the first sign of its resistance to reform – it barred the internet media from covering the five-day event.
Initially, no word was issued officially but checks by the press corp and online media agencies with one another revealed that several news websites have been denied the red-coloured press tags required to cover the general assembly.
The online media affected are Malaysiakini, The Malaysian Insider, Siasah, Merdeka Review, and The Nut Graph. According to Malaysiakini, Chinese website Laksou has also been barred.
The traditional print and foreign media, however, have been issued media passes.
Umno secretary-general Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor confirmed at a press conference that a total of six news websites were barred from covering the assembly.
“All these websites have been irresponsible in their reporting. If you report responsibly about Umno’s leaders, then we will allow you to come in. But the way they report is sickening,” Tengku Adnan said at the Umno general assembly.
Outgoing Prime Minister and party president Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was also present at the press conference.
Umno media officer Abdul Hamid Satar had earlier today told Malaysiakini that these media were considered “bloggers”. He added that the decision to bar them was made by a higher party authority, believed to be Tengku Adnan.
The ban on the internet media comes despite these organisations’ reporters having submitted their applications to cover the general assembly in advance. The online media have also been given government accreditation by the Information Department.
Umno has a right
Information Minister Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek, who is running for a seat in the Umno supreme council, said he did not know of the party’s ban of the new media.
He said even though the websites had been accredited by the Information Ministry, it was still up to Umno to decide whether to allow them coverage.
“What we do as government in giving accreditation is a separate matter from Umno’s decision to allow the new media. They have the right to allow or deny, just like how PAS and Parti Keadilan Rakyat have banned newspapers like Berita Harian or Utusan from covering their events,” Shabery told The Nut Graph when met at the general assembly.
The Nut Graph editor Jacqueline Ann Surin earlier said that to be fair, Umno should be given a chance to explain its decision to bar the online media.
“After all, they do have a right to choose who to bar and who to allow into their assembly. But the implications of their actions and what it says about the dominant party in the Barisan Nasional is then something that they may have to deal with.”
KIV
Siasah editor Zulkifli Sulong said they only realised their reporters had been banned today, the first day of the general assembly.
“For the past three to four days whenever we called to check on the status of our press passes, we were told that they were ‘KIV’. Only today we realised upon checking with the Umno secretariat that they were not planning to issue us the passes,” Zulkifli said.
The Nut Graph had a similar experience. Each time a query was made with the party’s public relations division, the reply was either that the tags were “KIV” or “not yet ready”.
Additionally, the website’s reporters were told to refer to Datuk Abu Khamis, Tengku Adnan’s special officer. Calls to his office went unanswered.
Malaysian Insider consultant editor Leslie Lau said they did not get the press passes either. “No reasons were given,” he said today in a phone interview.
Zulkifli said the ban won’t stop Siasah from covering the assembly. “It’s an important event. It’s not just for Umno but it’s about the country’s future. We’ll find ways to do it,” he said.
All the other banned new media are expected to do the same. Reporters from the banned organisations still turned up at the Putra World Trade Centre where the Umno general assembly is being held.
“We will try to report as best as we can from the Putra World Trade Centre. All good journalists are resourceful and The Nut Graph journalists no less. We also expect that there is enough media camaraderie for information to be exchanged among the media corp covering the Umno general assembly,” Surin said.
Though access will be denied into the main halls where the proceedings take place, the events will be televised through close-circuit television in the main lobby. It has been common in past general assemblies for non-delegates to follow the proceedings from outside the hall via television.
Media crackdown?
At the press conference, Abdullah was also asked about the three-month suspension of Suara Keadilan and Harakah, the party organs of Parti Keadilan Rakyat and PAS, respectively.
Abdullah brushed off questions by reporters on whether this would mar his legacy as he prepares to leave office.
“Why are you asking me? There must have been a very good reason [for the suspensions]. What has it to do with me?”
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MI is bearer of bad news — should we call for its ban?
By YL Chong aka Desiderata
Harakah and Suara Keadilan banned
By Shannon Teoh
KUALA LUMPUR, March 23 — In a move that appears to be geared towards handicapping the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) machinery ahead of the three by-elections on April 7, Suara Keadilan and Harakah have been banned for three months by the Home Ministry with immediate effect.
The party organs of Pas and PKR respectively were informed of the decision around 5pm this evening by fax with no reason given.
This effectively bars them from covering the Umno general assembly and the Bukit Gantang, Bukit Selambau and Batang Ai by-elections.
The letter to Harakah was addressed to Pas secretary-general Datuk Kamaruddin Jaafar, who told The Malaysian Insider that the suspension would put PR campaigns at an unfair disadvantage.
“This comes at a time when it is most crucial for us to disseminate information to supporters,??? he said.
“Such moves do not give us confidence in the future administration given the events of recent weeks,??? he said referring to what has been perceived as strong arm tactics by incoming prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, especially with regards to the Perak power grab on Feb 5.
He added that the party would appeal to Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar to reinstate Harakah.
Suara Keadilan editor Zulkiflee Anwar Al-Haq told The Malaysian Insider that until a decision was made by the party leadership, it would continue operations.
He added that PKR leaders would announce its decision at a press conference to be held at Parliament tomorrow.
In the aftermath of the Perak crisis last month, thousands of copies of both publications were seized.
On Feb 26, the Home Ministry had also ordered Harakah to show cause over the offences of public distribution and publishing content on current issues as its printing permit allowed it to distribute within party premises and report on party matters only.
DESIDERATA: Oh SH*T! BN-UMNO is SH*T!
To UMNO, everyone who tries to report the Truth or bears bad news, the UMNO GOONS SHOOT THE COMPETITOR and MESSENGER!
Maybe they should also BAN all dissenting News Online like Mkini and MI, and blogs like……. ah, I’m not telling!:(
Oh SH*T! Sweet 4-letter word like UMNO…