MEDIA STOUSH BETWEEN MALAYSIANS AND INDONESIANS
January 17th 2008 23:29
The Malaysian information minister's “lash out” at the Indonesian media's apparent aggressiveness in reporting that Malaysia-Indonesia ties were thorny seems to have backfired, reports Jakarta Post columnist Imran Yacob.
He said, “Malaysian mainstream media had splashed news of the exchanges of a Malaysian journalist to Indonesian news agencies in an attempt to soften the perceived Malaysia bashing by the Indonesian media.
“As if part of a complete package on damage control between the two countries, an Umno-Golkar meeting had concluded, on the establishment of a joint committee, to this year actively revitalise bilateral relations in the spirit of an Umno-Golkar memorandum of understanding signed earlier. The memorandum was ceremoniously witnessed by Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi.
“The reverse effect seems to have overtaken events with Malaysians themselves, lamenting on the limited freedom of the press and the emasculation of its news agencies.
“The Malaysian information minister's remarks have elicited a heated counterblast from Malaysia's lively blogs.
“The bloggers are now in combat mode ahead of imminent elections and were quick to point out to the Minister that his powers over Indonesia were none and Malaysia's media should be allowed to uphold its sacred journalistic duty to expose the truth and provide the check and balances essential to democracy.
“The problem in Malaysia is not that you can't say what you want, its just that you have no where to say it.
“The mainstream media – be it broadcast television or radio stations, even the print media – are all owned by the government or the major component parties of the ruling coalition (Barisan Nasional).
“…The Indonesian media's enfranchisement is the envy of Malaysians. No one wants a restricted press here
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