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 43rd
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 43rd 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
We
have to be more proactive and it is the right time to attack and pressure the
government from all the corners. I believe the best of defence is to attack
when they are weak. We have to retaliate and give the government a hard time.
We must to show to the government that we are not stupid and easily to be
threatened and intimidated by goverment’s fear and scare tactics. We cannot
wait any longer. The next general election has a long way to go. The government
has lost its credibility. We have no confidence in them. We do not trust them
anymore. The government has failed to fulfill its manifesto in the last general
election: independence, unity and progress. The government made a mockery of
the manifesto. The manifesto made us as a laughing stock. The manifesto is just
a tool to ensure the government is able to cling on to power.
Wake
up! Malaysians
Double Sadness