ABDULLAH: Media has helped govt immensely in nation-building

ABDULLAH: Media has helped govt immensely in nation-building
http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Thursday/NewsBreak/20070628134035/Article/index_html

KUALA LUMPUR, THURS:

The Malaysian media has been responsible in their reports particularly in helping the government maintain peace and harmony among multiracial Malaysians, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said today.

Without the sense of responsibility by the media, especially among the editors, journalists and media owners, the peace and racial unity enjoyed by the nation today would not have been possible, he said.

I'm not surprised by the editors', journalists' and media owners' "responsibility", or shall we call it "compliance". After all, their annual publishing license depends arbitrarily on the government's discretion. Self censorship is so prevalent, so much so that they couldn't even report on the PM's recent wedding without the instructions from the government!

He said history had proven the media had helped the government immensely to create a stable environment through their responsible reports, taking into account the sensitivities of the country’s plural society.

“Without the cooperation and understanding between the government and media practitioners surely the country will not have progressed to what it has achieved today,” he said when opening the 2007 Mass Media Conference organised by the Internal Security Ministry.

Abdullah, who is also Internal Security Minister, said looking back at history, it was clear that the Malaysian media had played a pivotal role in helping the government boost patriotism spirit, forge racial unity and self-esteem especially when the country was facing challenges, problems and crises.

So why not grant Malaysiakini a printing license? Why not grant party publications such as The Rocket permission to be distributed to the general public?

BLA BLA BLA!