Screenshots

From the YouTube, people generally know that Mr Maidin (or ZAM to some) very much dislikes Al-Jazeera the way the satellite news channel presented the BERSIH Rally last Saturday.

Interestingly, certain entities are more angry than Mr. Maidin, and want to claim their pound of flesh.

SOURCE: The New Sunday Times, Nov 18, 2007 (Page 4)

It was reported in the Press yesterday that three police reports were lodged against this blogger, Jeff Ooi, for allegedly defaming the country, government and police force in the Al-Jazeera news bulletins.

According to The NST, the Umno mouthpiece which had the scoop against competing English dailies, the reports were lodged by the Malaysian Islamic Consumers Association (PPIM), Malaysian Indian Muslim Congress (KIMMA) and Pertubuhan Seni Silat Ikatan Kalam Malaysia.

The paper said they three groups are against "a statement issued by Ooi to an Al Jazeera reporter". (The fact is: I issued no statement. I was Al-Lazeera studio guest to provide live commentaries as BERSIH Rally took place concurrently.)

"The statement was allegedly broadcast on YouTube," the paper reported. (The fact is: Several YouTubes related to the Al-Jazeera bulletins were uploaded by YouTube's registered users.)

According to The NST, the three entities wanted this blogger to be investigated, alleging that the interview given to Al Jazeera "not only tarnished the image of the country but was also seditious and caused racial tension".

The NST said this blogger is also "alleged to have given inaccurate information to Al Jazeera in stating that the police used unnecessary force in dispersing the demonstrators".

I wonder if by having three groupings lodging three same reports can make their allegations much sterner. But I am sure the People and taxpayers would expect the Police to spend their energy solving crimes and protect the populace.

To put things in context, I shall stand by what I have said in my commentaries over Al-Jazeera, give a fair context to the origins and objectives of the BERSIH Rally. Speak and be damned, you have to accept it. My lawyers have called to give me professional counsel.

For your reference, the related YouTube clips are available here and here.

Tunku Aziz blasts Mr Maidin

Also in yesterday's NST, columnist Tunku Abdul Aziz, thr former president of Transparency International Malaysia, had an earful for Mr Maidin pertaning to the minister's outburst vilifying Al-Jazeera. Quote:

One of the most unfortunate and unintended spin-offs of the Nov 10 affair was the unseemly and highly unprecedented attack on the Al Jazeera cable network by the Information Minister for what he claimed to be unfair and biased reporting of the event.

The minister, himself a distinguished former Malaysian journalist, has taken the BBC to task for a similar "sin" over another issue.

It worries me when a respected organisation such as Al Jazeera known the world over for its professionalism is subjected to this form of high-handed treatment in a country that promotes Civilisational Islam and liberalism.

I have watched the video clip of the interview and the transcript, and I must say the minister could have come out of the interview better, but he cannot blame anyone for the outcome of that unfortunate interview.

To make matters worse, the education minister should not have seen fit to join in the fray by accusing Al Jazeera of biased reporting.

The information minister is naturally entitled to his opinion, but, I presume, as a spokesperson of the government, he clearly has a duty to express the official views, if indeed they were on this occasion, in an agreeable manner. He strikes me as a gentleman imbued with a highly developed sense of equity and fair play, and a relentless seeker after the truth.

It would be well for him to start by looking at the sort of treatment meted out by our TV stations to parties perceived to hold different views from those espoused by the administration.

The question I am asking is whether the same "standards of truth" demanded of others apply to our Malaysian public and private TV stations. I am sure we would not want to be judged any differently, and on our current record, I fear we are in no position really to point a finger at anyone.

I won't use this blog to give a lecture on what is globally-accepted description for double-standards. Mr Maidin and Mr Tunku Abdul Aziz have done the job for me sufficiently.

UPDATES: Another Umno police report filed against Raja Petra Kamarudin of Malaysia-Today..

Screenshots shall henceforth refer to ZAM as Mr (Zainuddin) Maidin to describe his genetic identity more accurately and more respectfully.