Flash mob's take on Merdeka
Susan Loone & Lee Way LoonPublished: Sep 1, 2010 1:09 PM | Updated: Sep 1, 2010 1:19 PM
Shoppers at the Suria KLCC were taken by surprise when a flash mob, led by popular radio deejay Jamaluddin Ibrahim, celebrate their version of Merdeka.
The silent activity was to show up the sorry state of affairs in the print and electronic media even after 53 years of independence.
Shoppers at the Suria KLCC were taken by surprise when a flash mob, led by popular radio deejay Jamaluddin Ibrahim, celebrate their version of Merdeka.
Wearing black T-shirts and sporting white surgical face masks, some 50 participants ‘paraded’ around the mall last night.
They did their trademark upside-down newspaper-reading stunt to press home how they feel about the print and electronic media turning truth upside-down.
The protest did not run into problems with the mall management, and ended with three shouts of ‘Merdeka’.
Puzzled by the mainly-silent press freedom activity, some shoppers asked the security personnel what the mobbers were doing.
Many in the group were Jamaluddin’s fans, but several activists and a group of 10 youths joined in to show their support.
Speaking to reporters after the event, Jamaluddin (extreme right) expressed disappointment that freedom of expression is still restricted even after five decades of independence.
He said he hoped the people will pay more attention to the issue of press freedom and participate in similar events in the future.
This was the fourth time that the popular shopping mall has been ‘mobbed’ by the group in an ongoing campaign dubbed ‘1Muted Malaysia’.
The activity was triggered when the management of MCA-owned Chinese-language radio station 988.fm suspended Jamal, and later two other popular deejays.
Jamal, the suspended host of popular breakfast programme Hi Malaysia was among the deejays silenced last month for “threatening national security” and “compromising race relationships”.
The radio station’s chief executive officer Wong Lai Ngo and senior programme manager Tan Chia Yong were also suspended.
Campaign organiser Wong Chin Huat described Jamal’s suspension as a platform to gather those who are dissatisfied with the current press environment.
“Many people support Jamal, but they are not blind supporters. Jamal is not their spiritual leader but a teacher who introduced the idea of press freedom to them,” he told reporters.
Show of ‘patriotism’
In Penang, 20 flash mobbers dressed in similar fashion gathered at the Queensball Mall in Bayan Baru yesterday, also to protest against government repression of the media.
The group walked around the mall and stopped at three spots to place their fingers over their lips to symbolically express silence. Many curious onlookers stopped reporters to ask what was happening.
Spokesperson Joseph Cheong told reporters that the objective was to express unhappiness about political interference in the media, which has restricted journalists from reporting the truth.
“(And) since it’s Merdeka day, we want to show our patriotism; as we love this country, we also want media independence,” he said.
Malaysiakini columnist Josh Hong, who was present, said that if Malaysians want press freedom, they would have to struggle for it as “no one will do the job for you”.
He said he was heartened by the activity and the willingness of the shopping mall management to allow it to proceed without interference.
“We are merely protesting peacefully; we are not causing any trouble. If we want freedom, we will have to overcome our fears,” he added.
“We hope more Malaysians will join us in the future to fight for press freedom.”
Wearing black T-shirts and sporting white surgical face masks, some 50 participants ‘paraded’ around the mall last night.They did their trademark upside-down newspaper-reading stunt to press home how they feel about the print and electronic media turning truth upside-down.
The protest did not run into problems with the mall management, and ended with three shouts of ‘Merdeka’.
Puzzled by the mainly-silent press freedom activity, some shoppers asked the security personnel what the mobbers were doing.
Many in the group were Jamaluddin’s fans, but several activists and a group of 10 youths joined in to show their support.
Speaking to reporters after the event, Jamaluddin (extreme right) expressed disappointment that freedom of expression is still restricted even after five decades of independence.He said he hoped the people will pay more attention to the issue of press freedom and participate in similar events in the future.
This was the fourth time that the popular shopping mall has been ‘mobbed’ by the group in an ongoing campaign dubbed ‘1Muted Malaysia’.
The activity was triggered when the management of MCA-owned Chinese-language radio station 988.fm suspended Jamal, and later two other popular deejays.
Jamal, the suspended host of popular breakfast programme Hi Malaysia was among the deejays silenced last month for “threatening national security” and “compromising race relationships”.
The radio station’s chief executive officer Wong Lai Ngo and senior programme manager Tan Chia Yong were also suspended.
Campaign organiser Wong Chin Huat described Jamal’s suspension as a platform to gather those who are dissatisfied with the current press environment.“Many people support Jamal, but they are not blind supporters. Jamal is not their spiritual leader but a teacher who introduced the idea of press freedom to them,” he told reporters.
Show of ‘patriotism’
In Penang, 20 flash mobbers dressed in similar fashion gathered at the Queensball Mall in Bayan Baru yesterday, also to protest against government repression of the media.
The group walked around the mall and stopped at three spots to place their fingers over their lips to symbolically express silence. Many curious onlookers stopped reporters to ask what was happening.
Spokesperson Joseph Cheong told reporters that the objective was to express unhappiness about political interference in the media, which has restricted journalists from reporting the truth.
“(And) since it’s Merdeka day, we want to show our patriotism; as we love this country, we also want media independence,” he said.
Malaysiakini columnist Josh Hong, who was present, said that if Malaysians want press freedom, they would have to struggle for it as “no one will do the job for you”.He said he was heartened by the activity and the willingness of the shopping mall management to allow it to proceed without interference.
“We are merely protesting peacefully; we are not causing any trouble. If we want freedom, we will have to overcome our fears,” he added.
“We hope more Malaysians will join us in the future to fight for press freedom.”
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