http://desiderata2000.blogspot.com/2009/03/umno-youth-new-chief-kj-starts-on-right.html
“KJ disagrees with barring new media” was the cheery (Rhymes with Khairy eh?) headline in Malaysiakini.com that greeted Desi when I did my morning house call at the news centre, and I guess I was impressed.
If this is the representative potential of the new head helming the UMNO Youth movement following yesterday’s crucial party elections, there is some hope yet for a party that is seen largely as heading towards Doomsville. I won’t write off the racist coterie of so-called Malay-centric politicians yet, and maybe this Oxford-trained “youth”ful leader might be the medicine the inward-bound older generation of UMNO pilitikuses can learn from to keep up with the times. Yes, recalling an olde Bob Dylan’s refrain still relevant, although sounding cliche but still current — especially how and where ICT impacts 21st century society is concerned — The times they’re a-changing…
KJ disagrees with barring new media
Published by Malaysiakini
Mar 25, 2009
Umno has committed a “strategic error” by denying accreditation passes for six new media publications to cover the party’s 59th annual general assembly, said Umno Youth chief aspirant Khairy Jamaluddin today.
“We should be welcoming the new media. This is the trend of the future. We need to open our doors, if not we would be flooded with rumours and poison-pen letters.
“What is so wrong with bloggers and the new media? We are not holding meetings to discuss secret matters. As a matter of fact, we are an open and transparent party,” he told reporters after attending the inauguration ceremony for the Youth wing.
He said the party leadership will be asked to reconsider their decision.
Six online news portals, including Malaysiakini, have been barred from covering the event this year despite having been accredited by the Information Ministry.
Yesterday, Umno executive secretary Husainay Hashim said the decision was made against Malaysiakini because its coverage of previous Umno meetings was “not friendly” to the party.
“They are not too friendly with us, they are not helping us. You have to report based on facts, not distort the story,” he told AFP.
Party secretary-general Tengku Adnan Mansor yesterday told a press conference that Malaysiakini was banned because its reports concerning Umno and its leaders are “sickening.”
Malaysiakini journalists covering the event have been also barred from entering the main halls and the press conference rooms.
Malaysiakini editor-in-chief Steven Gan yesterday criticised the decision, saying it showed a lack of respect for press freedom and that it could signal a wider clampdown in the wake of a new leader taking over the premiership later this month.
“Our job is to report news as professional journalists, the issue of being friendly with a certain party does not come into the picture,” he said.
“(The ban) will be read as a sign that it is the new order under Najib (Abdul Razak) and if you put together some of the developments over the past few weeks, there is fear there could be further repression when he takes over as PM,” Gan said.
In his opening speech last night, even Najib said the new media should not be regarded as enemies.
He urged Umno members to embrace the Internet as part of the party’s struggle.
Apart from Malaysiakini, the other organisations denied official access for the Umno assembly are The Nut Graph, Malaysian Insider, Siasah, Merdeka Review and Chinese website Laksou.