Since government-controlled newspaper editors are often used to carry out the ruling party's agenda, it may explain why an opposition leader took a reporter to task for asking 'racial' questions, said an independent media activists group today.

Group spokesperson Ahmad Lutfi Othman told malaysiakini that DAP national chairperson Lim Kit Siang may have been 'emotional' but due to past experiences with the mainstream media, his outburst was understandable.

"It is well known that editors make use of reporters to ask questions of opposition politicians to get them into trouble in order to carry out the government's agenda," said Ahmad Lutfi, who is spokesperson of Kami (Kumpulan Aktivis Media Independen).

"This was perhaps Lim's concern when he told the reporter not to ask racial questions. We have seen in the past how the media manipulated the Suqiu affair and how opposition leaders like (Mohd) Ezam (Mohd Nor) got into the trouble due to newspaper reports," he added.

Chinese lobby group Suqiu was reported by an Utusan Malaysia journalist last Aug 17 as questioning bumiputra and Malay rights in its 17-point election appeal that ironically had been accepted in principle by the government prior to the 1999 general elections. The journalist was then covering the launching of Suqiu's website.

Though Suqiu repeatedly denied the allegation, the ensuing uproar from Umno Youth and ultra-Malay groups led to Dr Mahathir Mohamad likening Suqiu's action to communists of the past and the militant martial arts group, Al-Ma'unah, on Merdeka day two weeks later.

Ezam was arrested on March 5 following a police report lodged against him for allegedly admitting to a Mingguan Malaysia reporter that he was planning mass street demonstrations to topple the government - an accusation which he has denied.

Malaysian question

Ahmad Lufti was responding to a press statement issued by Norila Daud, president of the National Union of Journalists, concerning the exchange between Lim and Munaarfah Abu Bakar, a journalist from local Malay daily Berita Harian, at the Parliament lobby last Thursday.

Norila in her statement said that Lim "should have handled the journalist in a professional manner. Regardless of what sort of question was asked, he should have answered it in a way that is appropriate to his standing and he (Lim) should have anticipated that such a question might be posed to him."

The issue was related to the denial and deprivation of local university places to thousands of non-bumiputra students with excellent SPM and STPM results this year.

Ahmad Lutfi took a hit at the Malay dailies, namely Utusan Malaysia and Berita Harian, saying that the two do not articulate the aspirations of Malaysians but instead confine their role to catering for the Malay community.

The quota system in education is a Malaysian question and the media should highlight the concerns of all communities and debate should be allowed to continue, he said.

"Instead, what we see in the Malay newspapers are one-sided stories and this situation exists despite the fact that the papers are controlled by the government which should be representing the whole nation," he added.

Impartial approach

Meanwhile, DAP member of Parliament for Seputeh Teresa Kok said that the manner in which Lim countered the allegations of the Berita Harian journalist was actually appropriate to his standing as a politician.

"The question posed by Munaarfah to Lim, which contained an (assumption that) Lim was seeking to create racial tension, was not only one that was unprofessional but also provocative and non-objective, contradictory to her status as a journalist," said Kok.

"Berita Harian should not consider a matter, which concerns the future of thousands of non-bumiputra students, as a threat against the quota system for bumiputra students," she added.

The daily, she said, ought to take an impartial approach and avoid giving press coverage that deviates from what actually transpired.

Kok called upon the NUJ to provide training to local journalists on the practice of journalistic principles and professionalism while discharging their duties.