Isa's suspension declared a no-go area
Ng Ling FongPublished: Oct 6, 2009 3:31 AM | Updated: Oct 6, 2009 8:24 AM
At least two Chinese-language dailies have been ordered not to report on Isa Samad's suspension from Umno, after he was found guilty of buying votes during the party polls in 2004.
At least two Chinese-language dailies have been ordered not to report on Isa Samad's suspension from Umno, after he was found guilty of buying votes during the party polls in 2004.
Isa (left) is contesting the Bagan Pinang by-election in Negri Sembilan as the Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate. He will face of Zulkefly Mohd Omar of PAS in a straight fight on Sunday.
The former Umno vice-president was suspended for six years, or two terms, but this was reduced to three years on appeal. He served out the suspension in June 2008.
Malaysiakini learnt that the Home Ministry issued the instruction verbally, but was unable to verify this.
However, a source in a Chinese daily said the ban prevents any mention of Isa's suspension in either news reports or commentaries.
"The reason given was that the suspension is a widely known old fact and that Isa has already been punished. As such, it would be best to let the voters to decide for themselves," said the source.
"BN is also worried that the issue could become another blow to its campaign, given the internal problems between Isa and current Menteri Besar Mohamad Hassan."
Made a scapegoat?
It is understood that the head office of one daily has ordered its Negri Sembilan bureau office not to raise the issue.
A check of the dailies yesterday revealed that only Nanyang Siang Pau carried a comment related to Isa.
PKR Pantai Jerejak assemblyperson Sim Tze Tzim had earlier revealed that China Press had rejected his commentary on the ground that "no article on the by-election is allowed".
"Does it mean that the media cannot report (freely) on the by-election?" he had asked.
The Chinese journalism fraternity appears to be generally worried that it will be made a scapegoat should Isa lose the by-election, which has become a ‘must win' battle for BN.
There is precedence for this - in 2000, when the BN lost the Lunas by-election, Chinese dailies were blamed for having played up such community-related issues as the ‘Vision School' programme.
It also led to Nanyang Press Holdings being controversially acquired by MCA, the second-largest component party in BN.
Isa (left) is contesting the Bagan Pinang by-election in Negri Sembilan as the Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate. He will face of Zulkefly Mohd Omar of PAS in a straight fight on Sunday.The former Umno vice-president was suspended for six years, or two terms, but this was reduced to three years on appeal. He served out the suspension in June 2008.
Malaysiakini learnt that the Home Ministry issued the instruction verbally, but was unable to verify this.
However, a source in a Chinese daily said the ban prevents any mention of Isa's suspension in either news reports or commentaries.
"The reason given was that the suspension is a widely known old fact and that Isa has already been punished. As such, it would be best to let the voters to decide for themselves," said the source.
"BN is also worried that the issue could become another blow to its campaign, given the internal problems between Isa and current Menteri Besar Mohamad Hassan."
Made a scapegoat?
It is understood that the head office of one daily has ordered its Negri Sembilan bureau office not to raise the issue.
A check of the dailies yesterday revealed that only Nanyang Siang Pau carried a comment related to Isa.
PKR Pantai Jerejak assemblyperson Sim Tze Tzim had earlier revealed that China Press had rejected his commentary on the ground that "no article on the by-election is allowed".
"Does it mean that the media cannot report (freely) on the by-election?" he had asked.
The Chinese journalism fraternity appears to be generally worried that it will be made a scapegoat should Isa lose the by-election, which has become a ‘must win' battle for BN.
There is precedence for this - in 2000, when the BN lost the Lunas by-election, Chinese dailies were blamed for having played up such community-related issues as the ‘Vision School' programme.
It also led to Nanyang Press Holdings being controversially acquired by MCA, the second-largest component party in BN.
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