On the media: “I firmly believe that there is vital place…for a vibrant, free and informed media. If we are truly to build a democracy that is responsive to the needs of all the people, we need a media — both old and new — that is empowered to responsibly report what they see, without […]
censorship
Green censorship?
By Cindy ThamGoing “green” properly requires many considerations (© Steve Woods / sxc.hu) FOR many of us, the colour green symbolises the environment. Individuals, organisations and countries are going green, not just because it’s popular but more importantly, because it’s crucial to the sustainability of this planet we call home. However, a recent “green” move by the […]
Tok Guru vs Tok Guru
By Shanon Shah“If you are not a fisher[folk], you cannot talk about fishing. It’s the same with SIS (Sisters in Islam), if you do not have knowledge about Islam, you cannot talk about Islam.” PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang, on why he is adamant that the Muslim women’s non-governmental organisation should still be silenced despite […]
Gerakan Youth opposes use of PPPA on internet
By Deborah LohPETALING JAYA, 12 June 2000: Gerakan Youth is against a Home Ministry proposal to use the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984 on the internet media. Youth chief Lim Si Pin criticised the suggestion by the ministry’s secretary-general, Datuk Mahmood Adam, who was reported in the China Press recently as saying that the act might […]
Fearless reporting needs free environment
By Gayathry VenkiteswaranIN response to Prime Minister (PM) Datuk Seri Najib Razak‘s 6 April 2009 speech on encouraging a national dialogue through the media, the Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) asks for a more concrete set of commitments in realising the PM’s vision. Najib Razak (Pic courtesy of theSun)To foster a transparent “national discourse” that leads to […]
Obligations of media and govt
By Yip Wai FongWHILE the 12th general election had opened up some democratic space in the realms of media and freedom of expression, we are now watching it quickly disappear. The government’s censorship of the name of a certain murdered Mongolian looks absurd, as does the seizure of DVDs produced by the opposition. The fact that politicians choose […]
Stop online censorship
By CIJ and WamiThe Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) and the Writers Alliance for Media Independence (Wami) are alarmed that six people have been charged for making comments about the Perak royal family. The use of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 (CMA) violates the Act’s stated promise that it would not be used to censor the internet. […]
Astro dan homoseksual
Oleh Shanon ShahBAYANGKAN keluarnya satu filem tempatan tentang pejuang kemerdekaan tanahair, Dr Burhanuddin Helmi, salah seorang pengasas dan mantan presiden PAS. Siapa yang sesuai mendukung watak Burhanuddin? Farid Kamil? Rosyam Nor? Farhin Ahmad? Katakan Rosyam yang terpilih — Farhin dan Farid dapat main watak pembantu. Mungkin watak Khatijah Sidek pula diberikan kepada Nasha Aziz. Sharifah Amani mendukung […]
Amir Muhammad’s latest film restricted
By Zedeck SiewMalaysian Gods poster (pic courtesy of Da Huang Pictures) PETALING JAYA, 30 Jan 2009: Amir Muhammad‘s latest film, Malaysian Gods, has been barred from wide release by the censors. The National Film Censorship Board has decided that the roughly 60-minute movie cannot be shown on TV or in cinemas. The board gave no reasons for […]
For Allah’s sake
By Jacqueline Ann SurinWHEN the Home Ministry forbids a non-Muslim group from saying “Allah”, then attempts to prevent it from publishing in Malay, the government is imposing more than a ban. In both instances, the Barisan Nasional (BN)-led government is forcefully applying exclusivity for both the pre-Islamic name for the Almighty and the national language. The BN does […]
