Malaysiakini played a role in resolving Gomez affair
Wan Sidek Wan MokhtarPublished: Jun 20, 2005 5:31 AM | Updated: Jan 29, 2008 10:21 AM
Allow me to discuss the letter Malaysiakini has become its own enemy.
Yes, malaysiakini does need to improve its news reporting by covering more issues affecting the lower-income groups like squatters, workers, taxi drivers and farmers, etc.
Malaysiakini seems to have forgotten about these groups of Malaysians. Instead, it has wasted a considerable amount of space for on petty concerns of a puny group of overfed and over-Westernised urban petit bourgeoisie which have no organic roots in our society.
However, I do not at all agree with the writer of the above letter that the Edmund Terence Gomez case was over-reported by malaysiakini.
The Gomez affair was an important and critical one that led us to understand the horrible state which Malaysian institutions of higher learning have degenerated to. Gomez not only had many things to tell, but he had the moral courage to tell them all in public. Surely all that he said was worth reporting for in-depth public discussion.
That the government finally had to intervene and resolve the Gomez affair speaks volume for the effectiveness of malaysiakini's twin roles as a credible alternative media and the conscience of the Malaysian society.
In this regard, malaysiakini need not be apologetic at all. On the contrary, it should be proud of itself and be assured of continuing support from non-partisan readers like me.
This media also has no need to apolgise for specialising in politics. This, in fact, is its greatest strength and correspondingly, the weakest point of our mainstream media which are owned or controlled by the ruling parties.
It is not wrong for this online newspaper to cover more news and views about the opposition as the mainstream media has almost totally blacked out such news.
Finally, the fact that the letter mentioned above can be published by malaysiakini itself sets the organisation way above the rest. This is revolutionary in the history of Malaysia's journalism.
Yes, malaysiakini does need to improve its news reporting by covering more issues affecting the lower-income groups like squatters, workers, taxi drivers and farmers, etc.
Malaysiakini seems to have forgotten about these groups of Malaysians. Instead, it has wasted a considerable amount of space for on petty concerns of a puny group of overfed and over-Westernised urban petit bourgeoisie which have no organic roots in our society.
However, I do not at all agree with the writer of the above letter that the Edmund Terence Gomez case was over-reported by malaysiakini.
The Gomez affair was an important and critical one that led us to understand the horrible state which Malaysian institutions of higher learning have degenerated to. Gomez not only had many things to tell, but he had the moral courage to tell them all in public. Surely all that he said was worth reporting for in-depth public discussion.
That the government finally had to intervene and resolve the Gomez affair speaks volume for the effectiveness of malaysiakini's twin roles as a credible alternative media and the conscience of the Malaysian society.
In this regard, malaysiakini need not be apologetic at all. On the contrary, it should be proud of itself and be assured of continuing support from non-partisan readers like me.
This media also has no need to apolgise for specialising in politics. This, in fact, is its greatest strength and correspondingly, the weakest point of our mainstream media which are owned or controlled by the ruling parties.
It is not wrong for this online newspaper to cover more news and views about the opposition as the mainstream media has almost totally blacked out such news.
Finally, the fact that the letter mentioned above can be published by malaysiakini itself sets the organisation way above the rest. This is revolutionary in the history of Malaysia's journalism.
View Comments0