BOYCOTT GOVERNMENT NEWSPAPERS

I urge to all Malaysian people to stage massive nationwide silent protest campaign against the BN ruling coalition parties led by irrelevant UMNO. I am tired and sick of listening and watching BN’s malpractice’s lately. The government does not show any respect to the rakyat. There are endless sandiwaras played by the government. The government forces us to believe agree and follow without making any objection to them. They are arrogant and want to control us with their wealth and power. All the strong critics from the people have fallen in the deaf ears. I have a strange feeling that the government seems giving a signal calling us to challenge them if we dare especially to the thick skinned PM. They treat us as a puppet. We are not sor chai and sor mui (stupid people). I feel restless and I do not want sit down and do nothing pretending whatever the government is doing is right in principle. I am pretty sure we have to do something. We do not have to go out and stage a demonstration against the government, as our action will be put us in hot soup. Nevertheless, silent protest is what I mean.

By not displaying our beloved jalur-gemilang in conjunction with 43^rd Merdeka Day means we are not happy and disappointed with the Government. The lack of our people participation to heed government’s advice to display the Malaysian flag put Abdul Kadir Sheikh Fadzir course for concern. It was a sign of silent protest but I believe we can do more than that. From now onwards, we must stop buying local newspapers controlled by the government. This kind of protest is the brainchild of reformasi websites run by the people who do no longer trust the government anymore. They advised people to boycott the government dailies quite some time ago. The articles featured in the dailies are full of blatant lies, unethical, irresponsible, defamatory, distortions, fabrications and hatred in the form of messages, speeches and interviews. It is a waste of time and money reading BN’s propaganda. All the bad news about the government is blocked and the dailies have no choice but write the good news about the government. There is no transparency at all and most of the reports are one-sided. We cannot believe every piece of reports in the dailies.

Print media such as local newspapers is very important channel for the government. Much of the government’s success in the general election contributed by the dailies. The government depended on the dailies heavily to attack the opposition parties from all the corners during 9-day general election campaign last year. The opposition parties were given little chance to counter BN’s propaganda. More than 1,000 full-page of inflammatory, hate and scary advertisements featured prominently in the local Malaysian press.

Barisan Nasional coalition parties knew very well that Chinese voters could decide their fate in the general election. Barisan Nasional has exploited Chinese’s main weaknesses to their full advantage. Fear (riots), chaos and instability are Chinese fear most. Even the MCA President’s lap dog did not hesitate to use his infamous phrase, a vote for DAP is a vote for PAS to intimidate Chinese voters. Feeling of insecure and safety in jeopardy, Chinese voters chose Barisan Nasional coalition parties. Chinese voters were the saviors for the government in helping them to retain their power. Unfortunately, Chinese were shocked and shaking their heads in disbelief no thanks to PM likened Suqiu group to communists in the past in his 43^rd Merdeka Day speech. Chinese felt they had been taken for a ride by the government.

PM kept his word that the tenth general election is the dirtiest general election held in Malaysia. Lim Kit Siang, DAP leader quoted: "The 1999 general election is one where the Malaysian press will forever hold their heads in shame at the most unbelievably unethical and irresponsible journalism." In early this year, an international body of journalists voted Mahathir as one of the world's ten worst enemies of the press. What a great achievement that the government and PM should be proud of in the spirit of Malaysia Boleh.

Later, hopefully all the newspapers’ circulation will be reduced significantly. The government has no choice but to increase the price of the dailes to cover the losses incurred by them. So what, it is not our concern. Better still we want each of the newspaper has to close the operation (gulung tikar). We must know, print media means a lot to the Government. It is a useful channel for the government to instigate, manipulate sensitive issues, play up racial sentiments and inculcate fear and scare tactics to the public and opposition parties. The government’s power will be weaken further if fewer people buy the dailies, as the government will no be able to convey their irresponsible news effectively to the public