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Maintaining "elegant silence" works in Malaysia. If the NST does not refer to the plagiarism or what ever it is others like to call it....the other papers, in deference to elder brother, will not mention it. And, therefore, all this never happened! When you know this you climb up the editorial ladder in any of the mainstream media!

Get real, Jeff. You don't pay their salaries. Nor do any of those zombies who dutifully fork out RM1.20 everyday to purchase their toilet papers. The real calling of these journalists is to serve their masters and be damned with the rest. After all, lies if are repeated often enough will be the truth. Truth is relative, if you don't believe me just ask your son and son-in-law, they can vouch for that.

Sorry Jeff, you're too young to have son-in-law. Unless of course you had an illicit affair when you were 6.....

Jeff

In real life, journalists unwittingly become servants of political masters and tools of influential lobbyists who control through their patronage of advertisements for these newspapers.

Even in the US, the mainstream media became captive of the Israeli/Jewish lobby groups, and the neoconservatives in the Bush administration. This became blatantly obvious with regard to the Iraq war and the politics of the Middle East.

Americans are fed by the mainstream media with prejudice and bias against Arabs and Palestinians in their fight against the Israelis. Many of the columnists in New York Times and Washington Posts, the LA Times are American Jews with strong ties to Israel eg Thomas Friedman.

There are other Amercian Jewish columnists who are still soft on criticisms of Israel eg Paul Krugman, Hirsch etc.

Because newspapers depend funding from advertisements, etc and having to be seen to be patriotic to Govt of the day, the true professionalism of journalists is being compromised.

You only get glimpse of press responsibility to the public good in rare cases eg Watergate and the Pentagon Papers of the 1970s and 1980s.

In Malaysia, Govt control the journalists through the Press Act and the licensing and the ownership monopoly by political parties. Under such situation, there is little the poor journalists and reporters who have to put food on the table for their families, can do.

in Malaysia, desirable Journalistics ethics are very much dependent on the pleasure and displeasure of Govt.

In the US, it is the advertisers and the financial backers.

The readers have a choice.. whether to buy their papers or not. That is the only power, citizens have.

As far as I know, most of our Malaysian journalists aren't Mass Communications/Journalism graduates. How do you expect them to know these Ethics when they never studied anything close to Media? I've had one former journalist tell me (while I was studying to be a journalist one day) that I didn't need a degree in Mass Comm/Journalism to become one. I still disagree though.

"Unbiased reporting" has become merely an ideal ethic in the world of journalism, IMHO.

Kalimullah is being challenged in court, and I guess at the end of the day, a newspaper can print whichever letters it wants to, but plagiarism??

At first glance, all the media is silent on this again today, and BP is probably looking to get away scot free using the buat tak tau tactic. His window to act honourably regarding this matter is closing fast.

This government which I helped to vote into power has become my personal shame. Guess I am no different from the Tun – I also choose the wrong people.

My shame reaches its climax when my young nephew asked me about NST, PM and the Tun. He asks why it is so difficult for NST to say sorry to the Tun for misreporting. He asks why PM cannot stop NST from misreporting. He asks why the government is angry with the Tun. He says the government should scold NST instead of scolding the Tun.

This government is reversing the good upbringing that my nephew has learnt from my family. It is harming and destroying the minds of the young.

I advise my nephew NOT to be influenced by these people:

1. The people in NST
2. The DAP who say things and do things at the wrong place and wrong time.
3. The ill-bred, insolent, ungrateful Nazri Aziz
4. Singaporean chauvinists like Lee Kuan Yew
5. Politicians like Noh Omar and Zakaria Md Deros

Actually, the list is very long. But, if we have moral strength, we will not be knocked off our feet by these undesirable elements.

dignity2u

You have my support.

Folks

The basic foundation of responsible journalism is TRUST. Readers must be able to TRUST what is written by journalists/editors in the press or broadcasted by the broadcast media.

The source of that Trust is CREDIBILITY of the Media.

Once that Credibility is lost, that newspaper is as good as a toilet paper.

Brendan Pereira has lost his credibility as a columnist, journalist and editor.

And he represents his paper, the NST.

Unless NST dissociates itself from Brendan Pereira, the stigma of mistrust and lack of credibility of NST will stick in the minds of readers.

Brendan Pereira as the journalist/editor/columnist is DAMAGED GOODs of NST.

Unless he comes out explain himself, he is irreversible damaged goods in as far as journalism is concerned.

His obvious bias in the Dr M -Pak Lah spat has not helped him already, and to be caught plagiarising is unforgivable in the field of journalism and literary world.

It seems to me that we are unlikely to get out of this cycle of having lousy government being voted in by dumb voters. Despite the ranting and whining over the rubbish that we see everyday, closet apologists will appear, only to advocate supporting the status quo by vilifying any potential course of action.

dignity2u wrote: "This government which I helped to vote into power has become my personal shame. Guess I am no different from the Tun – I also choose the wrong people." But what actions would this "personal shame" result in?

He/she then goes on to say: "My shame reaches its climax when my young nephew asked me about NST, PM and the Tun........................I advise my nephew NOT to be influenced by these people:

1. The people in NST
2. The DAP who say things and do things at the wrong place and wrong time....."

I do not have any comment on the above up to point number 2. Now how does the DAP figure into the issue at hand? How does the DAP contribute to the mess between the ex PM and government which he/she voted for and his/her nephew's upbringing? In fact why does DAP even come into the picture? Could this just be political chicanery, a BN suppporter taking any possible opportunity to tarnish the opposition? What gives?

In any event, since dignity2u brought this up, perhaps he/she would like to give some instances of how the DAP say things and do things at the wrong place and wrong time. And whilst he/she is at it, explain to those of us in the dark here what that has to do with the price of fish? Perhaps Frank&Honest, who offered his support to dignity2u would also like to enlighten us.

kimmy

Come on, the chaps in DAP are not ALL saints. There are horrible and chauvinistic and radical Chinese hiding in DAP, whose reaction to UMNO Youth exerbates racial divisiveness inthe country.

DAP has a history of making a situation worse by opportunistic actions and reactions for claptrap responses and political support when it feels it is perceived as dwindling.

UMNO Youth sees DAP as mainly Chinese-based chauvinistic and communal and racially divisive political party as much others see UMNO Youth as racist-bent. It so happens that DAP is in the Opposition and the fear of ISA sword held it in check. Otherwise, DAP is also capable of causing as much problem as UMNO Youth.

DAP's current relevance is to fight for universal rights and to see it as an alternative to the weakling MCA in as far as Chinese votes are concerned. DAP is given the vote as a protest against UMNO, MCA and MIC rather than as a preferred party for government.

The jury is still out on DAP as a political party of citizen's conscience.

DAP members are NOT political saints by any stretch and measure, any more and any less than those in UMNO and MCA and MIC.

For some example, DAP is still unable to shed its Chineseness as a political party, mainly because the party had been hijacked by the more right-wing and more chauvinistic Chinese who see MCA as a political party well and truly castrated by UMNO.

Jeff,

Foremost, I’d like to state that I am not in the journalist / editor / reporter profession. Reading your last two blogs, and also the comments posted there, my take is that quite a few of you have some baggage with Brendan P.

Now, I do not know Brendan, but I have read some of his work.

What I want to state here is, I think you have set your sights way too high for any Malaysian journalist (or any part of journalism) to abide by. From what I can see is, politicians / government has cast their long shadow upon them, you included. All of you make personal censorships upon your work. And having read your blogs and visitors comments, I can read between the lines you write and where many of you are coming from.

Plagiarism is easy to stick upon a person especially when you can juxtapose the two articles and even spot the commas and periods have been plagiarized. And no credit was made.

I don’t think there will any Malaysian Bob Woodwards , not because no journalist can come close, but because the climate does not allow it. The system under which Malaysians operate is oppressive.

Recently, AP scrapped pictures taken during the Israeli war/ conflict with the Palestinians. The pictures, were doctored. They exaggerated the result of an air attack. The pictures were quickly removed, the freelance photojournalist was publicly castigated, an apology was made and (here’s the thing I want to say) AP moved on, no more mention of the pictures.

Otherwise, it would look like you have a vendetta. I believe there are many like me, who read your blogs and more often than not, do not leave any comments, (and like me, perhaps they do not have much to comment anyway) BUT we depend on you to give us a balanced picture of what is going on.

My hat’s off to you, you are very good. Right now it looks like you are going after someone with a very sharp knife.

Dear kimmy

If I were a member of DAP, I would have voted against the demonstration in front of Zakaria’s palace.

Instead, I would have voted for a demonstration outside the MB’s office, or preferably the PM’s office.

Zakaria has already been given a royal reprimand by the Sultan of Selangor. There is no need to rub salt into the wound. And, no need to shame a whole village for the wrongful action of one man.

Jefus

The fact is Brendan Pereira's editorials are not balanced and outright bias... the only credit you can give to Brendan Pereira is his subtlety. But when there is consistency of approach inthe writings, you smell a rat immediately.

Brendan Pereira makes political commentary on local politics. Thus he is par for the course. We cannot allow or forgive for blatant errors that border on trust and credibility, not for journalists, especially with his visibility and position in NST.

I think the knife is not sharp enough.

Your analogy on the AP case is has a different context as the issue picked up by AP is on international affairs.

Is Brendan P. , Brendan Plagiara??? No wonder....

Jeff is only, going after Brendan Plagiara, no problem for Brendan P. one la... Where go university degree ah?? Where ah??

It's easy to point fingers at others, that is our culture anyway, and say that they are not following any Ethics of Journalism, especially if they trip up on one or two, which we focus on immediately.

Please don't forget the I in Journalism also, so Jeff, can you claim that you have passed every appendix (not just the among others). But then, there's no You in Blogging, only I.

Frank & Honest

You introduced the subject matter of TRUST..and Jeff would say I am hijacking the blog or I am out of context....so be it....but TRUST!...Did you know the one ingredient that should have been there but was absent at the TDM and AAB 4 eye meeting? TRUST!...that is why Badawi did not want any witnesses and Mahathir outwitted him by taking in a tape recorder.

Before they meet the nexxt time I hope they will work to get this one up.

In the mean time...how many of you actually TRUST the media to tell you the truth?

As expected, more innuendoes and questionble honesty from one who claims to be frank and honest.

F&H said "Come on, the chaps in DAP are not ALL saints." Who said anything about saints, much less ALL of them being saints? Allegations were hurled and all I asked of the one making the allegations (and in F&H's case, supporter thereof), is for them to give some instances of how the DAP "say things and do things at the wrong place and wrong time." But instead of putting up, more allegations are thrown up: "There are horrible and chauvinistic and radical Chinese hiding in DAP, whose reaction to UMNO Youth exerbates racial divisiveness inthe country.
DAP has a history of making a situation worse by opportunistic actions and reactions for claptrap responses and political support when it feels it is perceived as dwindling." Again, care to give us some examples of such chauvinists and radicals and their opportunistic actions?

"UMNO Youth sees DAP as mainly Chinese-based chauvinistic..." And what does that tell us? That you believe and/or agree with UMNO Youth's views?

"It so happens that DAP is in the Opposition and the fear of ISA sword held it in check. Otherwise, DAP is also capable of causing as much problem as UMNO Youth." Capable? Well, I would venture to say that any politico is capable of mischief. But what is insidious here is the unstated suggestion that the DAP WOULD "cause as much problems." I concede that F&H could indeed be right on this, but it would certainly be enlightening if F&H would explain how he came to such a conclusion.

"DAP's current relevance is to fight for universal rights and to see it as an alternative to the weakling MCA in as far as Chinese votes are concerned." And this is bad because?

"DAP is given the vote as a protest against UMNO, MCA and MIC rather than as a preferred party for government." What's the point here? And how does this opinion sustain any of the allegations hurled?

"DAP members are NOT political saints by any stretch and measure, any more and any less than those in UMNO and MCA and MIC." Again, who's looking for saints? But wait, could it be that you are suggesting that the opposition is "no better" so lets stick with the devils we know? Care to enlighten us?

"For some example, DAP is still unable to shed its Chineseness as a political party, mainly because the party had been hijacked by the more right-wing and more chauvinistic Chinese who see MCA as a political party well and truly castrated by UMNO." Again, instead of giving examples, you go and make more of the same allegations.

dignity2u, instead of answering my question, then decides to criticise the DAP for demonstrating in front of Zakaria's palace instead of in front of the MB's or PM's office. Is that what makes the DAP the "bad guys?" Call me a cynic, but if the DAP had indeed demonstrated in front of the PM's office, I have no doubt the criticism would be that they should have demonstrated in front of Zak's place.

Come on guys, put up or shut up. Better yet, apologise for the unsubstantiated allegations. Surely you do not want dignity2u's nephew to feel that you guys are just empty vessels, constantly hurling abuses but not having the guts to justify what you say?

JEFF OOI says: This comment to some previous comments are OFF-TANGENT to the originalcontext of my blog topic. Beware of consequences.

NST has been a trash for many years even during Mahathir's time. While in the past it use to spin nonsense on behalf of Mahathir, now it's doing that for AAB. So what's the problem? It's just that for some people don't see that & thought this is just happen under AAB. Frankly & honestly speaking, NST & The Star (perhaps The Sun is the exception) represent the worst kind of journalism you can find in this planet. Almost similar to some communist party mouthpiece which has nothing but pure propaganda for their masters. The Star stoop so low that they even try to justify the goodness of the clown name Zakaria saying that he is a charitable guy! This only happen in our great Bolehland:)

Jeff,

I believe that people should be accountable for what they write, whether in newspapers or as comments in blogs. Unfortunately in my attempt to hold people accountable for what they wrote above, I have hijacked your blog topic. You have my unreserved apologies. Kindly delete or remove my comments as you deem fit.

JEFF OOI says: Thanks for sharing your thoughts. However, I will let them stay to reflect the readers' moods. Please do spend time reflecting on the core context of my blog topic if you are so kind as to give some thoughts.

Ok, here's my 2 sens worth.

I do feel that what the papers publish should be true and not misleading. However for quite a few years now, I take what I read with a grain of salt. This is true not just for the NST or other local papers, but also foreign papers like NYT, IHT, AWSJ, etc.

Like the adage "buyers beware" applies to most purchases, I think "reader beware" should apply to whatever we read. Dont get me wrong. I welcome the uncovering of less than truthful articles and plagiarism and the trangressors should get their comeuppence. I am just not particularly fazed or surprised that such incidences are happening all too frequently.

As for Soo Ewe Jin's comment about people going into the profession to save the world, I think that is a romantic but anachronistic notion. In this increasingly materialistic world, I think that is an unrealistic, if not unreasonable, expectation.

The press is corrupted. pure and simple. This is caused by the press being controlled and used as propaganda.

Instead of being a place for the public to discuss and publish their thoughts, these very people are censored.

And yet, as you point out here, Jeff, these are people who are liars and copycats.

Just how do we trust such people and their writings, and how do we fix it?

Do we go around demanding resignations, or simply point out that they are frauds in our own blogs?

there is no 'you' in journalism. heres a quote by john swinton, a NY journalist in 1880.

"There is no such thing, at this date of the world's history, in America, as an independent press. You know it and I know it.
There is not one of you who dares to write your honest opinions, and if you did, you know beforehand that it would never appear in print. I am paid weekly for keeping my honest opinion out of the paper I am connected with. Others of you are paid similar salaries for similar things, and any of you who would be so foolish as to write honest opinions would be out on the streets looking for another job. If I allowed my honest opinions to appear in one issue of my paper, before twenty-four hours my occupation would be gone.
"The business of the journalists is to destroy the truth, to lie outright, to pervert, to vilify, to fawn at the feet of mammon, and to sell his country and his race for his daily bread.
You know it and I know it, and what folly is this toasting an independent press?
We are the tools and vassals of rich men behind the scenes. We are the jumping jacks, they pull the strings and we dance. Our talents, our possibilities and our lives are all the property of other men. We are intellectual prostitutes."

(Source: Labor's Untold Story, by Richard O. Boyer and Herbert M. Morais, published by United Electrical, Radio & Machine Workers of America, NY, 1955/1979.)