Dear Sir,

I wish to object in the strongest possible terms at your journalist’s dishonest and false reporting of a statement made by Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng at the MPPP Youth Park this morning on the “Little Napoleon” Nik Ali controversy. When asked to respond to PM Najib, DPM Muhyiddin and KPI Minister Koh Tsu Koon’s criticism of Lim for speaking out at the incompetence of State Development Officer Nik Ali, Lim had replied in a few simple sentences as follows:-

“I got the message from both Najib and Muhyiddin. That they still want to defend Little Napoleons like Nik Ali. I thank them for the message. As for Koh, who was rejected by Penang voters in the last general elections, his KPI now is to follow and parrot what the Prime Minister says so Koh has indeed fulfilled his KPI.”

For Bernama to twist this clear but simple response into Lim accepting in good faith the reproach from both Najib and Muhyiddin is dishonest and false. What is most shocking is the response from that Bernama reporter when I called her up to complain. She replied that she heard Lim Guan Eng clearly say “Little Napoleon” but had left that phrase out so that the story can come out. If she had reported what I said exactly the story would not come out. I told her firmly that we want a true statement and if that can not be truthful then don’t publish the story.

She then said she would pull out the story. Bernama has pulled out the story but did not give any explanation of the background causing some online news websites like the Malaysian Insider to pick it up and publish the false news. This is most unprofessional and unfair. And lends suspicions that the mainstream media is out to get and frame up Lim Guan Eng by any means possible.

As Press Secretary to the Penang Chief Minister I hope that Bernama explains fully such unprofessional misconduct.

Cheong Yin Fan
Press Secretary
Penang Chief Minister

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GEORGE TOWN, July 24 — Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has accepted in good faith the reproach from Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin over his attack on state development officer (SDO) Nik Ali Mat Yunus.
“I accept the message from the prime minister and deputy prime minister…I thank them for the message,” he said after officiating at the Family Day of the Penang Development Corporation, here, today.

Najib said yesterday that the Cabinet could not accept Lim’s action of hitting out at Nik Ali to the extent of tarnishing the image of the federal officer.

He said as Chief Minister, Lim should be tactful when reprimanding officers over issues and should do it behind closed doors.

The spat between Lim and Nik Ali came out in the open after the Chief Minister made unsavoury remarks about the SDO on a number of occasions. —Bernama

Malaysians celebrate a gloomy World Press Freedom day 2010 by being in the bottom 32% of countries in the world with a press that is classified by Freedom House as “not free”. Freedom House is an independent watchdog organization based in the US that supports the expansion of freedom around the world. Freedom House supports democratic change, monitors freedom, and advocates for democracy and human rights.

In its latest 2010 Global Press Freedom rankings, Malaysia is listed at No. 141 equal with war-torn Zambia and Algeria as well as behind other war-torn countries such as Pakistan, and Liberia at 134. With 3 press freedom categories of ‘Free’, ‘Partly Free’ and ‘Not Free’ amongst 196 countries in the world, Malaysia is classified together with 63 countries in the world whose press is “not free”.

Amongst the principal reasons why Malaysia fares so poorly by being “Not Free” in press freedom is the existence of draconian law such as the Printing Presses and Publications Act, the Internal Security Act, the Official Secrets Act and the Sedition Act. Malaysia can quickly climb up the rankings to be “partly free” by abolishing all these repressive laws.

Press freedom in Malaysia can be “free” if the Federal government enacts a Freedom of Information Act(FOI) and prohibits media ownership by political parties or political leaders. This is the principal reason why press freedom in a democratic country like Italy is classified by Freedom House as “partly free” as a result of control and ownership of media by the current Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. If Silvio Berlusconi disposed off his shares and media ownership, then press freedom in Italy will be quickly upgraded to “free”.

The question now is whether the BN government is serious about the New Economic Model(NEM) in developing talent, encouraging competition and nurturing excellence in an environment that is both transparent and accountable. Transparency and accountability have being identified by the Prime Minister as the core of the NEM to transform Malaysia into a high-income knowledge-based economy.

Without press freedom, accountability and transparency will cease to exist. The Federal government must therefore undertake three measures to give the NEM every chance of success by making press freedom “free” in Malaysia in firstly abolishing all repressive laws, secondly enacting a FOI and finally prohibiting media ownership by political parties or political leaders.

Penang will be creating a little bit of history by establishing the first “Speaker’s Corner” to allow free speech modeled after Hyde Park London on 5 May 2010 at Padang Kota Lama next to the Penang City Town Hall.

Media freedom deteriorating

However this was ignored and more media curbs imposed. No wonder our press freedom rankings dropped. And the first four months of this year alone did not see improvement with harassment of the press continuing.

On April 22nd 2010, a media award winning producer of ntv7 talk show “Editor’s Time” Joshua Wong was forced to resign in protest against unreasonable restrictions and “overzealous self-censorship and government interference” against the opposition by those close to the Prime Minister. “This restriction of freedom amounts to a punishment and it affects the professionalism of the team,” he said.

A few days later, a RTM2 producer Chou Z Lam also claimed political interference when his documentary on the Bakun dam project in Sarawak was cancelled under the direct instruction of RTM director-general Ibrahim Yahaya.for fear of affection BN’s chances in this coming Sibu by-election.

Other cases of curbs of press freedom this year includes:-

· In March 2010, the Home Ministry “advised” the China Press to decide on disciplinary action against its editor-in-chief for publishing a report that the Inspector General of Police had resigned. The daily promptly enforced the “advice” by suspending the editor-in-chief, as well as issued a page one apology pertaining to the news report.

· On 26 February 2010, the Home Ministry issued a show-cause letter to The Star over the article “Persuasion, not compulsion” by its managing editor, that was published on Feb 19 pertaining to issues of shariah law. The daily also apologised to its readers.

· A week later, The Star refused to publish its columnist Marina Mahathir’s column touching on the caning of women under the Islamic law in February.

· Intimidate book sellers by confiscating books deemed unfavourable to the Barisan government. Among the books seized in January and February this year were copies of “Where is Justice” and “1Funny Malaysia”.

At the same time no action is taken against Utusan Malaysia for its lies against Pakatan Rakyat leaders, preaching racial hatred and even violence. Freedom to lie is not freedom of the press. Similarly newspapers should observe one of the basic tenets of press freedom is to give a right of reply. This right of reply has been denied to repeatedly to PR leaders by the mainstream media controlled by BN.

In Penang, the State Legal Advisor had objected to the Penang state government’s intention to enact a FOI on the grounds that it is unconstitutional. According to her, information is under the Federal list of the Federal Constitution and not within the jurisdiction of the state government. The state government is closely following the efforts by the Selangor state government to enact the FOI and should this be successful will then enact a similar law in the Penang State Assembly.

The press must be free. Let all Malaysians press for freedom!

DAP urges Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to prove that there is press freedom in Malaysia by taking action against Utusan Malaysia for its lies against Pakatan Rakyat leaders, preaching racial hatred and dominance. China Press had reported correctly that the Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hasan was leaving but they got the dates wrong by stating May when it was September this year. This difference of only a few months should not warrant such a harsh action of suspending their editor-in-chief Teoh Yong Khoon for two weeks especially when China Press had already apologized publicly.

Datuk Seri Najib had said during National Press Club (NPC) – Naza Awards two days ago that freedom without responsibility is no freedom at all. And that as long as the reports do not run foul of our existing laws, the press is free to report on pretty much anything. The actions taken against China Press shows this is not true. Just as the detention under ISA of a Sin Chew reporter Ms Tan Hoon Cheng for being a threat to public security, not for what she wrote but merely reporting the racist remarks of an UMNO leader(who did not apologise and was not arrested at all)

The adverse impact of China Press wrong reporting by a few months of the IGP’s leaving is minimal as there was no disturbances. However the false and irresponsible reporting of Utusan Malaysia preaching racial and religious hatred such as Penang cancelling the Maulidur Rasul procession, that Seputeh MP Teresa Kok detained under ISA for Utusan Malaysia’s false report that she removed speakers from suraus as the azan was too loud and that DAP was anti-Islam and anti-Malay was not acted upon.

Instead the authorities appear to encourage Utusan Malaysia to publish news reports and columns that humiliated the non-Malays as second class citizens and tried to stoke fear amongst Malays that they were being bullied. No wonder the Prime Minister’s private secretary described Indians who came to Malaysia as beggars and Chinese women who came here sold their bodies.

The actions against China Press shows that if there is any press freedom in Malaysia, it is limited to UMNO-controlled newspapers like Utusan Malaysia which enjoys complete freedom to lie without any responsibility contrary to truth, justice and morality.

The failure to repeal the ISA and Printing Presses & Publications Act shows that 1Malaysia is like a beautiful ice carving. It is nice to look at in a tropical climate Malaysia but will slowly but surely melt away, bringing about no changes.

I am surprised that Bernama has failed to correctly and accurately my comments on the new RM 300 million Sarawak State Assembly building in its report dated 30 July 2009. I was reported as saying,

“Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng was also impressed with the new building, adding that Sarawak had the capability to provide the state with more infrastructure facilities.”

This is untrue and a wrong report. What I said in Bahasa Malaysia were word to this effect,

“Bangunan ini menarik perhatian. Yang menarik saya adalah pembentukan modal insan dan sumber manusia seperti dalam bidang pendidikan. Adalah penting sekolah dapat bekalan letrik kerana apa gunanya computer tanpa bekalan letrik. Penetration untuk jalur lebar(broadband) di Sarawak adalah 13%. Saya lebih berminat memberikan tumpuan kepada aspek menaikkan kadar penetration broadband atau jalur lebar ini.”

What was published appeared to give the impression that the Penang Chief Minister endorsed fully the completion of this luxurious building. Nothing can be further from the truth.

In the interest of professional, truthful and responsible journalism, Bernama should retract this wrong and misleading report and print in full the correct version.