The Home Ministry seems to be
enjoying the company of editors from The Star, and they keep on coming back for more visits. It has become almost a habit that I’m beginning to think that the Home
Minister himself is serving them donuts and coffee over laughs and a mild
apology after ridiculing Islam like the last time.
Last Ramadhan, the fasting
month in the Muslim calendar, editors from the same newspaper were invited to
the Ministry to explain their insensitivities towards the Muslim community and
the official religion in this country by promoting Pork Ribs while also writing
on the breaking of fast in their special supplement on the same day.
After being “cordially invited”
to the Ministry at the pleasure of the Minister himself, the Star left with
just a soft tap on the wrist with an official apology from them the next day.
A few days ago the same
newspaper stretched its luck even further by provoking Muslims in this country
by publishing a full page picture of a visiting entertainer with “Allah”
inscribed on her bare bosom bordering SEDITION!
While Information Minister Datuk
Seri Utama Dr Rais Yatim, took the bull by the horn and banned the concert
performing his duty under the jurisdiction of his Ministry, Home Minister and
“accidental” Vice President of UMNO which supposedly upholds the struggle of “
Agama, Bangsa dan Negara” Dato’ Sri Hishammuddin Hussein preferred to leave it
to his MCA Deputy Minister to handle the issue pertaining to the serious insult
on Islam.
Picture Test: If This Doesn’t
Burn Your Blood To A Boil, You Are Not Muslim Enough!
Apparently, the Home Ministry
has issued a show cause letter and given The Star a week to respond. A show
cause letter is usually an avenue to allow the perpetrators to go scot free if they
are good at constructing a reasonable excuse.
In the meantime, I’m sure the
ministry will refer this to the Cabinet to decide because the Minister in my
view prefers to hide in the “closet” and NOT take a stand.
FACTS AND ANALYSIS OF THE
SITUATION:
* Sedition
is defined in the Colin’s English Dictionary as: A) speech or behaviour directed against the
peace of a state. B) An incitement to
public disorder.
* The Star is “owned’ by MCA.
* In August 2011, The Star
promoted “Pork Ribs” on the same day they ran a special supplement on breaking
fast in the month of Ramadhan.
* In December 2011, MCA owned
The Star allowed an article by their royal “stooge” writer to call UMNO members
attending the General Assembly at PWTC leeches.
* In 27 February 2012, The
Star published a full-paged picture provoking Muslims. (The picture above
explains itself)
* Deputy Home Minister Lee
Chee Leong who was asked to handle this, is a MCA Central Committee member.
* Michael Chong (Chairman of
MCA’s complaints bureau) was appointed as Special Officer/ Advisor to the Home
Minister in 2009.
* The action on The Star might
be referred to the Cabinet.
* The Cabinet has 4 MCA
Ministers.
*Apologies kept pouring in one
after the other for their writers’ mistakes without one stern action being taken
against them in the past.
QUESTIONS TO PONDER OVER.
* Is MCA a team player in the
Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition?
* While the Chinese community
are rejecting this party but are warming up to Prime Minister Najib himself, is
this not sabotaging Barisan Nasional’s chances by hurting the feelings of the
voting Muslims who usually support MCA because of BN?
* Would it not be biased for
the MCA committee member as Deputy Home Minister to be involved at all in the
issue at hand?
* What is Micheal Chong’s role
as Special Officer/ Advisor to the Minister? Is he advising the Minister in the
interest of the Country or his party and its members? Will he be advising the
Minister to take stern action on the paper owned by his party?
* Will the MCA Ministers be rightfully
asked to recuse themselves from participating in the meeting to avoid being
biased in discussing the action on the paper that their party owns if it
reaches the Cabinet for execution?
* Are the concert organisers
Malaysian, and did they provide the picture without considering its sensitivies?
* Why did they go ahead with
providing these pictures?
* If the organisers didn’t
send that particular picture, the authorities might have allowed the concert to
continue not knowing of the tattoo.
* Did we do enough research on
the singer before we approved the concert in the first place?
* Can the fans sue the
organisers and The Star because their actions caused the concert to be
cancelled?
CONCLUSION:
This Is Not The First Time
That The Star Has Hurt The Feelings Of The Muslims. No Show Cause Letter Should
Be Issued This Time. They Must Be Dealt With Sternly And With Clinical
Precision Without Hishammuddin Pushing The Envelope Up To The Cabinet. The
Local Organisers Too Should Be Taken To Task For Being Imbeciles Neglecting The
Fundamentals That Keep The Very Fabric Of Our Society In Tact. This Is Not
About Race But Will Be Seen As Such Because The Paper Is Owned By The MCA Which
Is Insulting Islam. This Is About An Individual And The Establishment That
Allows The Individual To Be Reckless Jeopardizing Racial Harmony And National
Security.
Hats Off To Yb Datuk Seri
Utama Dr Rais Yatim On His Righteous Decision Without Fear Or Favour.
Where Are
The Muftis And Minister Of Religious Affairs In This Matter? Are They More
Interested In Fighting Among Themselves On The Facets Of Our Religion Rather
Than Defending Islam When It Is Clearly Attacked By Infidels?
The Entertainer’s Fans’ Wrath
Should Not Be Directed At The Government Who Had No Qualms In Approving The
Concert In The Beginning. It Should Be Duly Directed At The Organisers And The
Star For Causing It To Be Cancelled Due To Their Negligence In The Basic
Foundation That Holds Us All Together As One Harmonious Multiracial Nation.
The Home Minister Should Take
Any Action Necessary According To The Provisions Under His Jurisdiction Without
Sidestepping Or Prancing Around The Issue In His Ballet Slippers While Others
Arrogantly Tap Dance In The Faces Of Muslims And Islam. If The Action Is Done In Good Faith And
Righteously According To One’s Official Responsibility In The Interest Of
National Harmony, No Matter How Risky It Might Look, The Mature Rakyat Will
Ensure That This Principled Government Will Be Retained In The Next General
Election.
Most Of All, It Will Have The
Blessings Of Our God The Al-Mighty.
A slap on the wrist should now be a kick on the arse, not only for the Star editors but also the Home Minister and the Minister in the Prime Minister's Department in charge of religious affairs!!!
ReplyDeleteKenzo
Salam YM Tengku
ReplyDeleteKalau Hishammuddin Hussein nak tunggu Kabinet buat keputusan, eloklah letak jawatan sebagai Menteri Dalam Negeri.
Kalau setiap kali nak rujuk kepada sepupu sendiri, baiklah sepupu dia ambil alih tugas kementerian tu!
Dear Sir
ReplyDeleteWhat was The Star thinking? Don't they have Malay editors among them???
X-Star reader
YM Tengku
ReplyDeleteKelmarin, cerita "pork ribs" dalam Ramadhan supplement. Minggu ni fasal penyanyi Amerika bertatukan "Allah" di badan.
Esok entah apa yang akan dibuat Star.
Nak tunggu esok kah baru nak bertindak?
Nampak gayanya begitulah!!!
Saudara perlu faham, pihak berwajib kita perlu liberal, bersifat Islam progresif dan toleran demi keharmonian masyarakat majmuk negara ini. Perihal penghinaan agama ini remeh dan kolot. Cuba sentuh satu perkara sensitif lain yang melibatkan bukan Islam (tak payah agama lah, katakan memperkecilkan sesuatu amalan kebudayaan), jangan kata suratkhabar MCA, para pemimpin bangsa kita akan lebih dulu pantas bingkas mempertahankan...
ReplyDeleteI am assuming its an oversight on the part of the editors in the Star. It was unintentional probably.
ReplyDeleteSaudara
ReplyDeleteSo, the editors were called to the ministry, only to be told that they have been given one week to explain (with an apology attached no doubt)? This cannot be done via official letter via fax, hand delivered or couriered or email?
What next after that?
Another meeting over donuts and coffee, irrespective whether or not they be penalised? This a get-to-know-you-better session or what?
Kindly educate us on the procedure of the Home Ministry.
x star reader,
ReplyDeleteWhat malay editors? ANY editor, regardless of race or religion, working for a Malaysian based media house, should be knowledgeable and sensitive enough about this kind of thing. Could they've done it in purpose? The page is huge and colored after all
Hisham, Hisham ... What can I say ...
ReplyDeleteKenzo
ReplyDeleteHell is waiting for the Minister of Religious Affairs for remaining quiet when Islam is being attacked in his own country. He needn't bother pretending to care about the oppression of Muslims in other countries where Muslim citizens there are not even united, when he neglects the insults Islam is getting from within. It is promised that the most religious of Muslims will face a more vicious wrath from God if they forsake him than those who are not. In this case, it looks like Hishammuddin will be dealt with less sternly than his colleague in the hereafter.
Anonymous 8:16 PM.
ReplyDeleteSaya setuju sebulat suara dan merata2 orang Melayu UMNO yang saya jumpa berkongsikan sentimen saudara tentang kelembapan beliau didalam tugasnya apabila Bangsa Melayu ataupun Agama Islam dikecam atau dihina. Sebab itu juga saya agak terperanjat lagi sedih bagaimana beliau boleh memenangi salah satu kerusi Naib Presiden UMNO. di pemilihan yang lepas.
Namun demikian oleh kerana prestasi anggota Polis sudah pun meningkat sekaligus menurunkan kadar jenayah dalam negara kita, ianya seolah2 menampakkan KPInya sebagai menteri meningkat dan memuaskan.
Walaubagaimanapun, betul dan elok juga kalau Perdana Menteri sendiri yang menerajui kementerian dalam negeri ini sambil melantik seorang timbalan yang taat kepadanya seperti Al-Marhum Tan Sri Megat Junid kepada Tun Dr Mahathir dahulu,
Dear X-Star reader,
ReplyDeleteEven if they have Malay editors among them, I'm sure they've either been "neutered" like a domestic pet or neutralized.
Anonymous 9:21 PM,
ReplyDeleteJangan sampai UMNO dan Barisan Nasional disumpah laknat oleh Allah SWT kerana membenarkan nama dan AgamaNya di cabuli kaum kafirun tanpa tindakan tegas semata2 untuk meraih atau takut kehilangan undi di dalam pilihanraya umum akan datang.
Anonymous 9:34 PM,
ReplyDeleteSindiran Tuan amat tepat. Apabila rakyat Melayu sudah berpecah, inilah akibatnya yang menyebabkan perjuangan kita terpaksa dilacuri sesetengah pemimpin Melayu yang tidak berpendirian, sambil tunduk kepada bangsa lain.
Di sini kita lihat Datuk Seri Utama Rais Yatim bersifat tegas dan mendokong perjuangan Agama dan Bangsa sementara Dato' Sri Hishammuddin langsung tidak mahu mengotorkan tangannya sambil membiarkan timbalannya yang Kafir itu menangani isu tersebut sebelum menunggu keputusan dari Kabinet agaknya.
Sayangnya ahli2 UMNO juga yang menaikkan orang ini sebagai pemimpin mereka. Nah! Rasakanlah sekarang. Apabila mereka sendiri yang mengutuk Hisham, saya orang yang pertama bangkit untuk mengingatkan mereka akan sokongan mereka terhadapnya dahulu.
Anonymous 9:48 PM,
ReplyDeleteAssume the contrary! They have a sight of 20/20 vision my friend, especially when they know that they can blindfold the Minister in charge of their publications and get away with it!
Saudara Anonymous 9:54 PM
ReplyDeleteBy calling the editors to the Ministry, it will look like they are assuming some kind of authority over these fellows. Unlike the days when Tun Dr Ismail used to allegedly haul people up to his room without any chair in front of his desk making them stand, I'm most sure that this presumed reprimand is done in a more comfortable setting with refreshments being served.
I don't know about how the ministry operates under this Minister but if it is I, the letter I will have my office boy hand to them upon their arrival is that to advise them of a one month suspension without appeal pending a show cause letter from them justifying why the suspension shouldn't be extended to 6 months, without questions asked nor answers given. Furthermore I will ensure this executed without hearing even a whisper by the MCA Deputy Minister nor his presence required.
Trust me! When their revenue is being altered, they will behave and toe the line. But if we serve them donuts and savories, they will plan to come back for more.
YM Penulis,
ReplyDeleteIni merupakan tindakan biadap yang melampaui batas. Tidak lebih merupakan satu provokasi liar yg cuba menduga kekuatan Melayu & Islam di Malaysia. Disini, ingin pula saya bertanya, bagaimanakah pula tindakan akhbar2 milik Kerajaan (selain Utusan)? Mengapa tidak juga melempar satu provokasi lembut, dimana NST, Malay Mail< Berita Harian mahupun akhbar nyamuk Metro? Tindakan bijak penulis dalam sesekali menyergah kepimpinan lemah, lembut dan terlalu bersantun.
Anonymous 10:01PM,
ReplyDeleteYou can safely consider this a Smack In Your Face Deliberate Mistake!
The picture is almost big enough to smother the reader if it were a 3D pair of bosoms!
So you are right. It was intentional!
Tengku,
ReplyDeleteApakah tindakan Menteri Dalam Negeri akan perihal ini? Adakah hanya berpeluk tubuh dan merelakan agama diperkotak katikan? Hisham Hussein, molek kalau membuat satu pencerahan umum berkenaan isu ini.
Anonymous 11:21 PM,
ReplyDeleteLet me finish your poems for you.
Hisham, Hisham ... What can I say,
If it's up to us, you'd be sent away.
We're loyal to Najib come what may,
But you're his deficit if you stay.
Hisham, Hisham, you are well played,
Perfectly fitted like tailor-made,
Under two Presidents, you rest in shade,
Your political future seems well laid.
Hisham, Hisham you're very likeable,
From a family line that is remarkable,
Though it may seem that you are winnable,
Work much harder to be more suitable.
There is still time for him to redeem himself and be even greater than the two previous UMNO Presidents in his family. I for one have been waiting to see the promise materialize for the sake of the Party with a lack of intelligent second line leaders with charisma.
Let us hope that there won't reach a time soon enough, when we can no longer ignore the gap between reality and the promise.
But evidence is surely proving that the time in question is closing in rather rapidly.
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/the-star-suspends-two-editors-over-erykah-badu-row/
ReplyDeleteSurely, this is not enough, yes?
Justice
I like your poetry! It's not Shakespeare, but ... close...
ReplyDeleteAnonymous 2:01 AM,
ReplyDeleteMaaf, selain dari Utusan yang seolah-olah mempunyai autonominya sendiri dan sidang pengarangnya mempunyai perjuangan yang teguh, akhbar2 lain yang disebut hanya akan bertindak jika ada arahan atau suruhan dari pihak atasan. Tanpa indikasi tersebut sepatah haram tidak akan disentuhnya yang boleh menyinggung perasaan mereka-mereka yang sewajibnya disinggung.
Namun begitu, harus di ingatkan bahawa sebagaimana yang saya naik saksi di dalam akhbar-akhbar seperti NST, memang ada pengarang-pengarangnya yang lebih kuat sifat nasionalisma dan perjuangan mereka untuk Agama dan Bangsa dari kita, hanya budaya kerja didalam institusi mereka itu tidak membenarkan mereka bergerak dan menulis sebebas mungkin.
Apa yang saya rasa hairan pula adalah KEBISUAN Pergerakan Pemuda UMNO Malaysia yang seharusnya menyerupai hulubalang2 UMNO yang memperjuangkan Agama Islam dan Bangsa Melayu tetapi bersifat seperti ahli2 Majlis Kerja Tertinggi yang sudah semacam kuching tua yang sudah kenyang.
Mungkin mereka, seperti juga mantan Ketua Pemuda mereka yang kini menyandang Menteri Dalam Negeri berharap untuk menjadi "winnable candidate" sehinggakan tidak mahu menjudikan nasib atau peluang mereka untuk menjadi calon.
Pemuda UMNO Malaysia nampaknya lebih rela untuk melacuri perjuangan mereka sambil tunggu dan lihat keputusan Kabinet sedangkan mereka harus mendesak sekeras2 nya pihak berwajib untuk menggantung lesen akhbar harami ini setidak-tidakpun selama sebulan!
Tengku,
ReplyDeleteApakah tindakan Menteri Dalam Negeri akan perihal ini? Adakah hanya berpeluk tubuh dan merelakan agama diperkotak katikan? Hisham Hussein, molek kalau membuat satu pencerahan umum berkenaan isu ini.
Anonymous 2:03 AM,
Pandai saudara menggunakan istilah yang di sohorkan Hishammuddin sendiri sepanjang ucapan2 beliau dipentas UMNO iaitu "dikotak-katikkan".
Sekarang jelas siapa yang dikotak-katikkan atau dengan lebih terang lagi "DI-KOTAK-KAN"!
The Star tahu bahawa mereka boleh mengkaburkan mata pihak berkuasa Melayu yang berlagak macam tahu tetapi tidak faham langsung bahasa inggeris atau berpura2 bodoh, ataupun memeng semulajadi bodoh dengan harapan rakyat Islam akan terlepas pandang.
The Star telah menggantung, dan bukan memecat Pengarang atau editornya "indefinitely". Makna "indefinitely" itu Tuan2 dan Puan2 bererti tanpa had maxima atau minima masa. Bunyinya memang sedap didengar tetapi maksudnya boleh menyilap-matakan orang.
Jika Kabinet berpuas-hati dengan perkataan "suspended indefinitely" maka sia2lah pendidikan mahal dan bertahun yang diberikan kepada Perdana Menteri kita di University of Nottingham, Great Britain dahulu, kerana sudah tentunya sebaik sahaja Kabinet memutuskan tiada lagi tindakan dibuat keatas the Star kerana tindakan "internal" telahpun dibuat mereka, maka editor2 tersebut dalam masa terdekat akan disambung semula perkhidmatan mereka itu, siap dengan toast Yam Seng lagi sebagai meraikan kemenangan mereka itu.
Itulah dia kalau kita ashik sebut perkataan dikotak-katikkan dalam ucapan2 kita sehinga lebih dari 44 kali, akhirnya kita sendiri yang terkotak sambil mereka yang mengatik!
Justice,
ReplyDeleteAnonymous 10:24 AM,
As I have explained in pure and simple Bahasa Melayu in the box directly above in response to another, members of the Government deciding on the fate of the Star must consist of bloody fools if they buy into the story of their editors being suspended "indefinitely".
First of all, they weren't sacked nor demoted.
Secondly the punishment is effective though immediately, is for an "indefinite" term. That clearly means that if the Cabinet or the powers that be decide to be lenient , or take no further action in view of The Star's "fake" self-censorship in reprimanding their editors internally even before the government acts, they can very well lift the suspension within 24 hours of the government's decision.
Indefinitely means without any limit or time. Does the Home Ministry officials understand that? It means it can be for 10 minutes, 1 day, 1 month, 1 year, 1 lifetime, or even 30 seconds after the government decides not to take further action.
SO LET NOT THE MUSLIM LED GOVERNMENT BE LAUGHED AT, AND RIDICULED FOR THE SECOND TIME FOR BEING FOOLED BY THE STAR, BEING THE HOT TOPIC OF CONVERSATION IN LOCAL PUBS AND COUNTRY CLUBS, CELEBRATING OUR STUPIDITY.
Anonymous said...
ReplyDeleteI like your poetry! It's not Shakespeare, but ... close...
Anonymous 7:20 PM,
Thank you for your appreciation of my piece of written "Art". If what is portrayed in the film "Anonymous" regarding Shakespeare is true, i.e. he was merely putting his name (impersonation) on the actual play-write/ works of the 17th Earl of Oxford, then I believe my juvenile attempt at Poetry is worth a few guineas more than his reputation.