IN THIS ISSUE
 Police
crackdown on gambling
Malaysia
condemns Israeli violence
Doctors
urge precautions against HFM disease
JE
Virus claims new victims
Government
lauds Malaysiakini press freedom award
Government
to study Apostasy Bill
Poll
on plunging newspaper readership reveals shock results
Government
contemplates expulsion of 10 million Malaysians
UMNO
attempts world record
Bakun
project to be revived
Intelligent
Transport System to be implemented
 ARCHIVES
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Reformasi Diary
|
Government lauds Malaysiakini press
freedom award
| The Malaysian government congratulated the
independent Internet newspaper 'Malaysiakini' on winning the International
Press Freedom Award from the Committee to Protect Journalists, an international
journalist organisation dedicated to the defence of press freedom globally.
Editor, Steven Gan, was presented with the award together with journalists
from Bosnia, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Iran.
"We are glad of this accolade to Malaysiakini,
which is in the truest spirit of 'Malaysia Boleh!'" said a government
spokesman who refused to be named.
|
 |
Gan (Malaysiakini):
Awarded |
Sabri (Internet):
Sued |
"It is indeed a deep honour for the government of
Malaysia to be now internationally-recognised as on par with the repressive
regimes of the Bosnian Serb terrorists, Congolese military juntas and Iranian
extremists. Our government is up there with the best tin-pot dictators
on the planet," he declared, shedding tears of pride.
The spokesman added that the government will do all it
can to ensure that Malaysiakini wins the award again next year.
|
Lufti (Detik):
Banned |
Zulkifli (Harakah):
Charged and sued |
"We will sue more writers. We will charge more editors
with sedition. We will maintain the ISA and the Printing Presses and Publications
Act. We will ensure the mainstream media remains emasculated. We have already
closed down independent publicationsa such as Detik, Eksklusif
and Al-Wasilah. We have already crippled the circulation
of Harakah. And now we’re declaring anyone who criticizes us as
traitors."
"Heck, that’s more than enough to make Malaysiakini
win the award again the same time next year. Unless we close them down
before that."
|
Kadir (NST): Rich |
|
Even the former New Straits Times group editor, Kadir
Jasin, will be helping Malaysiakini’s attempt at another award by
planning a takeover of the national news agency Bernama, Radio Television
Malaysia 2 and six radio stations. Under the wise penmanship of Kadir,
the readership of the New Straits Times and Berita Harian plummeting
30% in the last two years. He hopes to do even better with Bernama and
RTM2, allowing more people the opportunity to turn to Malaysiakini.
Local newspapers have already expressed their unanimous
agreement with the press freedom award to Malaysiakini by not publishing
a word of it anywhere.
|
Government to study Apostasy Bill
The Faithful gather to
worship at the PWTC |
The government will study the proposed Restoration of
Faith Bill with a view to amending it to apply only to Restoration of Faith
in UMNO. An UMNO spokesman who refused to be named said that the government
recognised that various deviant beliefs – such as a beliefs in democracy
and freedom of expression – have influenced tens of thousands of Muslims
to lose their faith in UMNO and the government. "Stern action needs
to be taken to root out these deviant teachings. We have already seen many
of these people reject the UMNO faith and join other political parties.
We must bring these apostates back to the true path."
He added that those professing to these deviant teachings
would be brought to faith rehabilitation centres in Kamunting and Pulau
Jerejak. "At these centres, they will be cleansed of any deviant beliefs
in democratic principles and fundamental freedoms and be taught in the
true practices and teachings of our faith – complete and utter homage to
the UMNO party leadership."
|
He added that they had many successful cases where people
who had deviated from these teachings were brought back to the UMNO faith.
"Look at Rais Yatim and Tengku Razaleigh. And Ibrahim Ali lost and
re-discovered his faith so many times, we’ve lost count."
|
