There is an urgency for an independent media council to promote free and responsible press to expose all irresponsible foreign and local reporting and stop unwarranted allegations against the opposition.

DAP national chairman Lim Kit Siang said that although Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad had blamed the foreign media for being one of the country's greatest threats sabotaging Malaysia's development, the greatest obstacle faced by Malaysians who want to see the restoration of justice, freedom, democracy and good governance is "a subservient and irresponsible local media".

Lim, who is a former journalist, also explained his refusal to be interviewed by government and government-controlled television channels despite being repeatedly asked by them.

"I refused to be interviewed by TV2 as the government or government-controlled media - both electronic and printed - are not dedicated to responsible journalism but only want to distort, vilify and denigrate Barisan Alternatif," he said.

According to him, these media organisations are totally bereft of the most elementary canons of journalistic ethics.

Last Saturday, Bar Council president Sulaiman Abdullah also called for the establishment of a National Press Council to curb the trend of increasingly unreasonable million-ringgit defamation law suits in the last few years.

Orchestrated attack

Lim pointed out that the latest example of the "irresponsible Malaysian mainstream media" is the attack on Keadilan Youth chief Mohd Ezam Mohd Noor.

"The orchestrated attack on Ezam for allegedly wanting to topple the elected government through massive street demonstrations every day is based on the front page report in the Umno-run Mingguan Malaysia, which has lost all credibility and integrity as far as its political journalism is concerned," said Lim.

Lim also said that there is no justification for the mainstream media to go overboard with such "a song and dance" on the subject as Ezam had denied the Mingguan Malaysia report.

"I spoke to Ezam on the phone and he again categorically denied that he had said anything about toppling the government through demonstrations although he had spoken of organising demonstrations to allow the people the opportunity to express their many grievances against the Barisan Nasional government," said Lim.

Yesterday, Mingguan Malaysia reported that Ezam had said he would organise daily street demonstrations until the government is overthrown.

Lim also said it is also shocking to know that Deputy Inspector General of Police Datuk Mohamad Jamil Johari had announced the police themselves will lodge a police report to enable them to initiate investigations on Ezam.

"What happens if investigations reveal that the allegations are false? Can the police be prosecuted for lodging a false report?" asked Lim.

This afternoon Umno Youth made a police report against Ezam and at about 2pm, six police officers raided the Keadilan Youth chief's house in Kelana Jaya, Selangor.

Dishonest action

Lim further said that another recent example of the irresponsible mainstream media is the dishonest manner in which they mounted an attack on web-based daily malaysiakini.

"This time, it (mainstream media) not only enlists (Prime Minister Dr) Mahathir (Mohamad), but even the Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in the offensive," he said.

Abdullah was quoted by the media yesterday as saying that the government's allegation that malaysiakini was funded by financial speculator George Soros has been proven true following the latest revelation by the daily's former news editor. He added that the government is disappointed at malaysiakini's denial of the link.

Yesterday, Mahathir said that all loyal Malaysians would not support malaysiakini, insinuating that the news website journalists are traitors.

With the formation of the media council, Lim said that Mahathir and the government can lodge complaints against unfair reporting by the foreign media, while Barisan Alternatif and Malaysians in general should be able to lodge complaints against unfair reporting by the mainstream local media.

"The media council should comprise independent-minded, credible and reputable Malaysians who are entrusted and empowered to expose all instances of irresponsible foreign and local reporting," said Lim.

Vile attempts

Meanwhile, Keadilan vice-president Dr Chandra Muzaffar said that he regrets very much "the vile attempt by Mahathir to depict Keadilan as a party bent on overthrowing the government through violence".

"As a party that upholds democratic values, we abhor the use of violence to achieve political change. What we continue to assert is the democratic right of the people to assemble peacefully to express their feelings about issues of public concern," said Chandra.

Chandra also said that peaceful gatherings organised by Keadilan in the past few weeks in Kuala Lumpur, Kulim and Kubang Pasu (in Kedah) have often been disrupted by harsh and often cruel police action.

"Right from the outset, Keadilan's agenda was much larger than (jailed former deputy prime minister) Anwar Ibrahim. Nonetheless, because of the injustice done to him, Anwar has become an important symbol in the people's quest for justice," he added.

"The danger to the independence and sovereignty of the nation comes from a corrupt, greedy elite that monopolises the wealth of the nation and places its own interests above that of the people. It is this unpatriotic elite that has betrayed the nation."

Chandra said that Mahathir is trying to "pull wool over the people's eyes by painting Keadilan as unpatriotic, undemocratic and prone to violence".

"But the people cannot be deceived anymore," he said.

Mahathir told reporters yesterday that Keadilan is only keen to fight for Anwar's freedom and to ferment violence through demonstrations.