YOURSAY ‘Generally, the Malays are an intelligent lot and they have a conscience and a mind of their own. They know when Utusan is spinning a lie.'

'Win against Utusan, lose Malay support'

your sayHbasill: I disagree with Penang CM Lim Guan Eng that by suing Umno-owned daily Utusan Malaysia, Pakatan Rakyat will lose Malay support.

The majority of rural Malays don't know what is going on in Malaysia but vote BN because PAS/PKR have not done enough to highlight the real issues the next generation of Malaysians face.

I urge Pakatan to bring Utusan to court and make them pay, even though they are bankrolled by Umno. What is important is the principle of printing facts, not lies. You pay when your intent is malicious, racially-motivated and facts are totally fabricated.

Lim, don't be afraid. Just sue Utusan and hope a time will come when the judiciary wakes up, and the penalty will be millions of ringgit.

Toonarmy: There is truth in what Lim says, although this should be largely confined to rural Malays who receive less exposure to non-mainstream media. The majority of Malays want - in this day and age - the truth.

Umno's corrupt and racist practices are known to all, and there are very many Malays out there who are offended by Umno's underhanded tactics.

In short, if defamed, the victim must protect itself, and seeking damages for slander is a way to do so to at least highlight what was wrongly reported.

MinahBulat: Lim, I think you underestimate our Malay brothers. Perhaps in the deep kampung such perception exist. But generally, the Malays are an intelligent lot and they have a conscience and a mind of their own. They know when Utusan is spinning a lie.

Utusan's circulation would not be so badly hit if the Malays read the newspaper. PM Najib Abdul Razak has to appeal to the government-linked companies (GLCs) to support Utusan and you think the Malay community is blind to this? Keep on suing.

YUNoAnon: Do not be afraid of pursuing the truth, and to uphold the truth. You lose the support of the uninformed, ignorant and stubborn only.

The uninformed and ignorant, you can help. The stubborn, these you won't win over. They are the people who help make life interesting and end up in places like Utusan.

So keep suing them. If you win, it's because truth is on your side. And the truth will see daylight one day.

Antoine Ross: Implement a three-pronged strategy - sue the newspaper if it publishes any untruth, inform the public of the truth, and channel the money won to those in need.

Onyourtoes: Two questions: first, is Utusan still the one and only influential means of news for rural Malays? I thought the readership is declining rapidly.

Second, if Utusan is indeed still very influential, what are the strategies available other than suing the paper?

I think most Pakatan politicians are only good in galvanising support of urban and semi-urban population. Yes, Pakatan has massive rallies, but what is the point? They wait for one another or hope for the best when it comes to rural voters. This is my general observation.

I know it is a difficult task - in terms of information dissemination, the conservative outlook, the bribery involved and the economic and social dependency that can be exploited to the fullest by the ruling party.

But these are tasks that must be done. No rural heartland, no Pakatan government - no matter how loud we shout about popular votes.

Malaysiancare: I think it's right to keep on suing them if they keep on doing wrong, otherwise, they will publish more serious and damaging lies to mess everything up. The more they lose court cases, it mean the more they are wrong.

Educated Malays will understand the logic. For rural Malays, we need people to explain to them why this is so. Of course, there are some stubborn people who defy logic but we cannot please everybody. I don't think good Malays with good Islamic values will side the wrong.

My Opinion: Indeed, Lim underestimates the Malays. They also want to seek the truth. It is true Utusan's lies are very effective amongst many Malays, but the exposed lies had become too obvious for them.

Now, they are wondering why this extreme, unethical and unIslamic method is being used.

Shaolin Disciple: It does not matter if Malay support is being lost in the short term. It is imperative that the lying newspaper be sued each and every time it publishes false and disgusting news until the courts take a tough stance and impose exemplary damages on the perpetual lying newspaper.

Son of PJ: It is not a matter of rural Malays and East Malaysians unable to "see" (the truth) or otherwise. The problem is that they are only "seeing" Utusan day-in and day-out.

Just like all the other races, Malays are able to distinguish good from bad, but only if Pakatan is able to reach out to them.

As much as the doomsayers are quick in saying (and very much praying for) PKR/Pakatan to no longer be appealing, GE14 can be won if in the next four and a half years, priority is given to continuously enlighten these folks.

Awakened: Lim, it is a difficult and challenging task to make people see the long-term benefits of non-race but need- and merit-based policies.

Utusan is an Umno media. They have the support of the ruling party. It is difficult to defeat them no matter how many untrue reporting they made.

With the penetration of alternative media through Internet and with more and more young and educated Malays, Utusan will slowly lose its potency.

Pakatan needs to focus more in East Malaysia, especially the natives. DAP has been able to penetrate the cities of East Malaysia but for the rural areas, it is better to get the native parties to join Pakatan.

Pakatan will not win if the opposition coalition continues to use PAS and PKR to penetrate the rural seats in East Malaysia.

Factnot fiction: Just adhere to the truth, I am certain Malays are bright enough to differentiate between truth and lies.

At the end, truth will prevail and indeed truth will set us free. Let Umno lie and stay in darkness - its doomsday is near.

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