Screenshots

"It was a wry humour..."

A type of humour that is unacceptable to a rightly-thinking Muslim audience.

But that apology is not enough to me as a Muslim and a Malaysian because of what has happened to Sarawak Tribune and Guan Ming.

A minimum of two weeks ban, sacking of the chief editor and/or revoking of publishing license is what I am looking for.

Nothing more, nothing less.

Gosh, it's just so pathetic!! Having to apologise publicly while at the same time trying very hard to save its neck, is just so darn madness.

The newspaper went even further to defend itself by lodging a police report against a particular for racial incitement ...excuse me, what's that? If by any chance they're actually refering to Jeff's blog, I am all against it coz this is one particular blog that I could openly discuss current issues without any biasness on racial/religious sentiments.

There might be one or two outrageous comments (depending on how one looks at it) but the bottomline is that, the discussion thread initiated by Jeff's posting of the day encourages one to think beyond the normal conduit of our perceived belief system. Hence, this could possibly lead to a more tolerant self in an individual living within a multi-racial society. I am all for that take.

If the yardstick is now lowered to non-depiction of ANYTHING that may offend a section of people, then the witch-hunter will become the witch-hunted.

Happy witch-hunting !

it's turning way too sad. since one can obviusoly note utilise humor at all any more and will have to fear that any and everything might mock religious feelings, i move that we cease all media immediately for the protection of religious feelings.

i dont think there is even the slightest bit of hope of a reasonable argument on the matter left which is very sad.

i am forming the opinion that we simply dont want freedom of thought, freedom of speech and freedom of information. i would simply say that if you are offended by what you see stop looking. if we are unable to even humor the situation per se i feel that all is lost. a step back into the stone-age. probably we do need an age of enlightenment to get somewhere.

i will stop commenting on the matter deeply disappointed by the fact that it had to come to pointing to everything that might (!!!) have anything to do with an insult to islam. may the ones who feel offended step up and explain why they can't get over the NST-cartoon. this would be interesting - so far i have not heard any argument that i feel would justify the apology NST had to give. we must draw a line when it comes to such things and it's my personal opinion that the line has been crossed big time by blaming NST.

Holy madnes!

Ini tak masuk akal langsung!

When you've done something wrong, you still want to blame the ones that pointing out your wrong doing?

So vindictive! NST, so low IQ!

"When you've done something wrong, you still want to blame the ones that pointing out your wrong doing?"

Now where have I heard that before?

Could it be shades of what was hurled at Teresa Kok who exposed the nude squat incident?

Was the mud hurled by some Yang Berhormat no less?

If the wordsmiths in NST got it wrong and now pretend they know better, it is too late for them to hold out that they know and are qualified to tag the blog posting which highlighted this erring of their ways as "inciting religious hatred against the NST". The police themselves indeed will require more than just a desk sargent or for that matter, the IGP, to first show their qualifications before they can construe if indeed there is merit in NST's accusation. I would think that they will need the views of sociologists, psychologists, human behaviour specialists, mass communications specialists and lawyers to come together to debate and to decide if indeed the original blog posting was inciteful.

If this is not done and the police as the running dogs of UMNO immediately institute investigations on the blogger only on the strength of the NST report, the Police ought to be sued for gross incompetence and they should indeed be censured for behaving no better than mad dogs that bark for no rhyme nor reason.

NST, through its years of deciding for the nation what tag line best describes any event, occassion, words spoken debate or anything, is here guilty of attempting to do the same now where by posturing accusations and applying tag lines to bloggers and other perceived "enemies", is trying very hard to place itself the innocent victims of guileless, jealous and vindictive opponents.

Sure Goebels would be proud of NST in its attempts. But then Goebels lived more than 60 years ago and Hitler is not around!

this is really unfair to Sarawak Tribune...NST still can defense its course of action by blaming others...this is really unfair to Tribune... what kind of double-standard is this ?? now let see if even national TV get suspended ?? its agreeable that such comics really disrespect the Muslims.. now the process of media suspension becoming politically entwined... Tribune get suspended forever, the Chinese media get few months and now NST can defence the action ?? this is how priority works in this country...discrimination against the East Malaysia.. i wonder what will happen if any Indian media did it ?? this is no longer concern freedom of speech matter... this concerns PRIORITY at stake...

'Right Thinking'? I think you misspelled 'Ironically Challenged'.

Seriously Jeff, nothing personal and I think you've been doing a great job so far as far as keeping all of us informed as to develpoments in Malaysian politics, but I think the NST is right on this one.

This is a non-issue. I's satire, it' supposed to be funny. People are supposed to laugh. Yet it's because of the spin you first put on the issue that people are riled up.

Plus, before it was given public mention, this was just a run of the mill syndicated comic a desk jockey inserted everyday. You wrote conspiracy like as if the NST purposely picked up the comic just to run that days comic to cause chaos.

As the cartoonist himself said on the matter,"Once again, it seems the ironically challenged have just validated the point of the satire."

To YAB Pak Lah,

Please consider the good things that NST have done for the country... for educating English to the school children... for all the programmes in sowing the interest in education among the young.

Don't let these people with personal differences with NST, opposition political agenda and even your own UMNO representative seeking personal glory to influence your judgement.

Don't deprive our millions of youngsters of good learning from NST just to satisfy a few glory seekers.

Thank you Pak Lah.

Jeff Ooi said:"Meaningful days are looming ahead for Malaysians who do care for the wellbeing of this country. Brace yourself, Malaysia's witch-hunting season has just begun."

Jeff, I warned you about your karma didn't I? So now, stop talking about witching hunting and still feign innocence when deep down you know that you have sowed the seeds of discord and hatred, stirred up unhealthy emotions, inciting and flaming matters and instigated the whole thing.

Better go running to your lawyers whom you have used so often to intimidate others eg.the "Natgeo" guy and really find out the consequences of the offence under the Penal Code for which the report has been lodged against you.
And don't go running to RSF or other international press organizaations for help as they all know what you did and they are NOT stupid or blind.
This time you really asked for it, and they are coming for you and do you still expect them to show that restraint as in the past when you yourself were so unrestrained in your instigation.

At least the NST is man enough to apologise openly.

What about you Jeff? Do you have the balls to do the same or you have to borrow someone's balls to do that?

NST acts despicably and irresponsibly as the nation's leading newspapers by blaming the others for its own fault. Whether the publication of Non Sequitur cartoon was insensitive to the Muslims' feeling or not is a subjective issue. However, if even Mahathir, formerly the leader of Malaysia, which is the leader of the Muslim countries, thinks that NST was being insensitive to Muslims' feeling, then NST was indeed at fault for publishing the cartoon. The point that I am trying to make is that what the Muslims think about this cartoon matters the most, and what Jeff thinks does not. By blogging about this cartoon, Jeff was simply thinking for the good of all Malaysians, not for himself.

Some said that this cartoon is satire and I concur. However, it can be provocative as well for the others in this Muslim-majority country. And do we need this type of insensitive, potentially provocative satire at all now in Malaysia?

Jeff did not sensationalise this cartoon thing for his own glory. He was simply blogging for the greater good of the whole country. Educated Malaysians would know that this NST cartoon saga involves the social ills of Malaysia and Jeff is doing his part as a responsible blogger to raise public awareness on these social ills.

NST claimed to "defend the freedom that we crave to report as freely as we can". But now NST is trying to curb Jeff's rights to (responsible) free speech by lodging a police report. It seems more like NST has a "personal vendetta" against Jeff that the police report was lodged. Else, NST could have lodged another police report against the Information Miniter Zainuddin and RTM for sensationalising the matter, so to speak. Why the double standards?

from this NST cartoon sage, NST seems more keen to serve personal interests of the few in the NST top management rather than the national interests of fellow Malaysians.

Let's see how skillful the NST top management are in using the media influence to save their ass.

Keep on denying...NST

You seems like a 160 years old fello fallen back to teenage mentality. Trying to grab whatever afloats while sinking. If you managed to grab the Nation All-Mighty's giant rod, I think the sunken Altantic City also may resurface. Some twilight shine on Sarawak Tribune. Cheers !

Screenshots only reach the nation's minority of English speakng e-generation when compared with NST.

During the incident plotted and spin by NST on Oct 2004, almost resulted a broken rice bowl to Jeff. (Read MacZul weblog interview on Jeff). I think Hishammudin Aun should now initiate a peace plan and shake hand with Jeff the Aun, oust Kalimullah and elect Jeff d Aun to be NSTP Deputy Chairman. Thus to mitigate damages.

Let both Aun(s) to prefect the press. OK !

Hansac,
//A type of humour that is unacceptable to a rightly-thinking Muslim audience.//

Good job mate, you've just classified this very neatly into rightly-thinking and non-rightly-thinking without justifying either, and Muslim and non-Muslim. All through this blog, all you've been saying is "NST is wrong, I want them suspended, I want them shut down, I want resignations" without ever explaining why. You represent the kind of people our country needs to get rid of if we ever want to progress. Are you genuinely angry at NST because of the comic, or are you just caught up in the anti-cartoon, anti-West, anti-NST rhetoric? That's a serious question, and one you should take time to think about.

People, just because this blog high lighted the cartoon in the NST does not necessary mean that Jeff has incited hatred bla bla bla.....I for one belief that by reading the comments by people with different opinion in itself has bridge the gap which would be bigger if differing views were not shared !No worries Jeff if you need $$ support for legal help I for one will do my best to contribute and I am sure I am not alone in your community of readers.
Lets fight to keep open forum so that theres less misgivings and misrepresentation !

ahjuju18,
//But now NST is trying to curb Jeff's rights to (responsible) free speech by lodging a police report.//

Aren't you jumping to a bit of a conclusion here? I mean, correct me if I'm wrong, but they have lodged a police report against A blog, and they haven't specified who. Until Jeff confirms the police report, which I'm sure he'll do ASAP, let's all give NST the benefit of the doubt eh? Maybe there's another blog out there that put more of a spin of it than here? So until I'm proven spectacularly wrong, let's all not get carried away with this "police report". Getting carried away is what got the nation into this mess in the first place.

Jeff,
For once you don't have my support, though I know you couldn't care less, when the MAN is coming after you.
Many support you b'cos of the issues you bring up, the principles you uphold. But when it becomes personal, the rationale for sticking by you disappears.
Hope you come through this safely and learn something from the debacle. Aligning with people you normally can't stand is always a bad move. Thought you were a student of Malaysian political history.

Hann

The way we write shows our personality, our education, our upbringing.

You want to support NST, please feel free to do so. But, do it in a persuasive and dignified manner so that you can convince people like me to cross over to your side.

You insult your opponents with words like:

“You represent the kind of people our country needs to get rid of …….”

How can I support you?

I’ll be ashamed to do so.

It would be fair to say that most commentators, both Muslims and non-Muslims agree that the cartoon was in poor taste. Of course it was funny and had a message. Some other time, say two years ago or so, it would have been funny and laughed off. At this time, its funny..but not to everyone. Might seem to be making fun of some peoples' sensitivities. If the sensitivity test was applied it should not have been published by NST. But that itself was not so much the crime or the mistake done by NST.

It was their arrogance in making a defence of their actions that went all wrong. After all if it was only questioned by Screenshots and a few SMSes, as usual NST could have ignored it. But they needed to respond when police reports were made. And respond they did thinking they are UMNO supported and therefore arrogance ruled their heads.

Any idea of damage control, had they only some, could have avoided what NST now has invited for itself.

Their "unreserved apology" caveated by blame and police reports made against a blog is no different from all the "unreserved condemnations" of the 9/11 disaster which were caveated by excuses! Unreserved condemnations and apologies cannot be unreserved when they are accompanied by excuses or accusations or blaming of someone else for their predicament.

Hann says:

" Are you genuinely angry at NST because of the comic, or are you just caught up in the anti-cartoon, anti-West, anti-NST rhetoric? "

Yes I am genuinely angry with NST. I did not react to the Danish cartoon debacle. I did not react when Sarawak Tribune was punished, because I believe Sarawak Tribune deserved the consequences of their faux pas. Guan Ming was a similar case.

I am genuinely angry because a big conglomerate organization like NST could have faltered so badly, that someone is sleeping in the cartoon/entertainment section, to have let this slipped by. If someone had an ounce of grey matter and thought it over BEFORE publishing the first cartoon in NST, I believe everyone in NST, would not want to publish it.

This is a slip up and should be recognized as such. EVEN WITH THIS SLIP UP, it should have been punished at least with some form of punishment. A showcause letter and an insincere apology is not enough.

Heads must roll.

Observer

I can’t but agree with your comments:

“It was their arrogance in making a defence of their actions that went all wrong.”

I feel sad. You know the feeling when someone whom you look up to lets you down? NST has let me down.

Why do we let our EGO blur our vision?

Why is it so difficult to say sorry in the first place?

Why is it so difficult to say sorry later and say it sincerely?

Hann,

i apologise unreservedly for an unreserved speculation here. let's see if this speculation that "A blog" really referred to JeffOoi.com is an intelligent one. ;)

NST Newpapers selling will be increased if they're going to put another Muhammad (MPBUH) cartoon.

Another advertising method and another desperate Andy.

Hansac,
Congratulations sincerely, you have provided a reasoning for your stance on the matter. It's all I ask for. I respect your views, although I must humbly disagree with them. What annoyed me the most was everyone including yourself calling for NST to be punished without giving a proper reason. Now we can close the matter. NST has escaped punishment and for good reason. The End.

For many years, Malaysian media have had free reign. They publish what they want, censor what they want and basically lead the majority of our nation around by the noses. They have always had the money, the political backing and the closed-door, inside secrets industry to help them.

Today, blogs like Screenshots are helping to act as a watchdog against the media. It is time they became accountable. Whether or not Jeff brought up this issue as partly personal (which seems likely to be ONE of the reasons), it is not important. The important thing is that the media must wake up and start to be on their toes. No more sleeping on the job. We are not an uneducated, easily driven public anymore.

Even if Jeff had not brought the issue up, there would still have been people who were upset about it. If I remember rightly, Jeff highlighted the cartoon because some of his readers went to him about it. People are starting to see this blog as an avenue for free expression and to obtain justice.

It is time the NST and all the other media became more responsible papers, more critical of government and more open. It is time they start really servicing the public.

Jeff, you do not need legal help. What you need is political help. Good luck.

hann: generally support your views here, but add to clear some common "misguided conclusions" here.
* Jeffooi's breaking the news about non sequitur comic amounted to "whistle blowing".
NO, it does not. A comic strip internationally circulated for PUBLIC consumption being drwan to public's attention, YES, for the benefit of those who "missed" it...
* the core issue here should not be about "spats"between Jee (plus Kadir Jasin, former NST GEIC) and Kalimullah Hassan -- this is seconadry to the CORE ISSUE of Press Freedom wheere as concerned Malaysian ciotizens, we are keen to promote and preserve, YES?
So from the start, I have contended the suspended, indefinitely too, against ST, was uncalled for, like Using a hammer to kill a fly. But look after the subequent action of the BOSSES -- they welcomed the Govt's suspension, and added insult to injury by avowing they would NOT re-publish even if the suspension on ST was lifted. Don't cry for the ST bosses, weep for the Media workers there who have such bosses for friends, do they need enemies?
* The issue of Guang Ming, even now extended to the likes of RTM Mandarin News, TV3 (as Jeff did refer to) and opthers using SECONDARY references to the Danish caricatures, it's all the inrusion of Politics into the Media field that makes victims of the Chinese daily, but thanks, it was jest the Evening edition, also only 2 weeks. Readers should not SUPPORT papers like GM who sdare to advance press liberty ... but became "collateral damage" instead tro these ....politicians mainly. Fill in the 4 blanks, Desi does not want to insult your intelligence which P.P. they stand fro mainly -- just look at the Protagonists -- Minister of Information, NSTP topguns, UMNO Youth leaders, DR Mahathir and son....
** Like what Hann said, let's go back to focus on more important issues than this Humpty Dumpty show, okay, like
-- Campiagn to do away with the ISA, OSA and PPPA1984?

It's a good lesson we all learnt from the recent episodes on the Caricatures -- we finally have a consistent picture of what PPPA stands for. Previously The Star had Three definitions ... and it's the TOP selling English daily here -- that is telling, yes?
God help Malaysia, some mGf have stopped weeping for it long ago,
I:
S:
A:

WAIT A DARN MINUTE!

Did you say "for inciting religious hatred against The NST"?

When did NST become a religion? LOL.

Now that New Straits Times has cancelled Non-Sequitur, it looks like I would need to buy Straits Times (Singapore) if I want to see it in print.

If I am not wrong, they should have th same cartoon a few days back as well...

Let me see if I get this.

- Cannot draw images of the prophets that are offensive. OK. got that.
- Cannot draw images of the prophets, period. Hmmm. OK. got that as well.
- Cannot draw anything that implies that images of the prophets are being drawn. Huh?

What will come next? Cannot talk about drawing images of the prophet or cannot think about drawing images of the prophets?

I believe NST's fault is in the timing of the cartoon, not the cartoon itself. And if we cannot laugh at ourselves, we'd better not laugh at others.