Bloggers celebrate Press Freedom Day
Chan Kok LeongPublished: May 1, 2008 12:05 PM | Updated: May 1, 2008 3:02 PM
Some 150 bloggers got together in Subang today in conjunction with World Press Freedom Day to discuss the role of blogging in Malaysia.
Some 150 bloggers got together in Subang today in conjunction with World Press Freedom Day to discuss the role of blogging in Malaysia.
Broken into two sessions – Fostering Civil Society and The Fifth Estate (Bloggers) as Agency for Change – the forum was aimed at looking into the role bloggers can play in society.
The first session had Rocky's Bru blogger Ahiruddin Atan, former High Court judge Syed Ahmad Idid, University Malaya law lecturer Dr Azmi Sharom, former Asli director Dr Lim Teck Ghee and MalaysiaVotes.com editor Jacqueline Ann Surin.
Speakers in the second session were Selayang MP William Leong, Sun editor R Nadeswaran, human rights lawyers Haris Ibrahim and MalaysiaToday editor Raja Petra Kamarudin.
Speaking first, Ahiruddin warned that while blogging is now seen as the fifth estate there were dangers if certain practices were not checked.
"While blogging is said to be part of civil society, actually there is nothing civil about it," said the former Malay Mail editor.
He explained that though there were many good commentaries put out by bloggers, as many cast accusations and resort to name-calling in their posts.
During his session, Ahiruddin also warned that bloggers must be careful of falling into the same traps the mainstream press had found themselves entrenched in.
"Blogs now attract advertisements too and we must be mindful of this and continue to write without fear or favour of them."
Another threat he said was the entry of politician bloggers like Muhammad Muhd Taib, former menteri besar Khir Toyo, Mohd Ali Rustam and many more.
Fostering civic society
Syed Idid said that civil society carries many definitions but what was important was how blogging (as civil society) can help build a civic society.
"If any blogger, just because they see themselves as being free to write anything vile or vicious or seditious takes the opportunity and brings out bad vibes, then that blogger is not a credit to our happy bloghood and ought not to operate in the blogosphere.
"Having said that, bloggers appear to be free to move about and help our community to achieve 'civil society' status," said Syed Idid.
Among the problems, he said, that bloggers should address to help foster a civic society are safety and security, hardcore poor, local council efficiency and cleanliness and health issues.
On the other hand, Lim spoke up of the need of blogs to discuss and analyse news impartially.
Citing the recent keris apology as an example, Lim said that none of the mainstream media had adressed the apology properly.
While most chose to place a positive spin on it, he asked if the apology was not merely a qualified apology as pointed out by a blog-commentator.
In that respect, Lim pointed out that the blogosphere is not only crucial for commentaries but also as an atmosphere to foster the exchange and discussion of ideas.
Raja Petra presented a daunting future for the print media when he informed the floor that the signs were already there in countries like Indonesia and the United States.
"During the Vietnam war, four out of five Americans read newspapers while now only two out of five Americans do," said Raja Petra.
"In Indonesia, during the Suharto administration there were 12 million newspapers sold a day. Post-reformasi, the country only sells six million.
"Media baron Rupert Murdoch was quoted as saying that by 2030 there will be no newspapers as everything will be online. The Sun, Star and everything else is in a sunset industry," said Raja Petra.
He reminded bloggers that their role should be to promote a two-party system whereby there is balance in the system.
"When that happens, the people will be the ones having the real power to decide who gets to be in government. This can only be done (by bloggers) by presenting information to the people so that they can make informed decisions," said the MalaysiaToday chief.
Broken into two sessions – Fostering Civil Society and The Fifth Estate (Bloggers) as Agency for Change – the forum was aimed at looking into the role bloggers can play in society.
The first session had Rocky's Bru blogger Ahiruddin Atan, former High Court judge Syed Ahmad Idid, University Malaya law lecturer Dr Azmi Sharom, former Asli director Dr Lim Teck Ghee and MalaysiaVotes.com editor Jacqueline Ann Surin.
Speakers in the second session were Selayang MP William Leong, Sun editor R Nadeswaran, human rights lawyers Haris Ibrahim and MalaysiaToday editor Raja Petra Kamarudin.Speaking first, Ahiruddin warned that while blogging is now seen as the fifth estate there were dangers if certain practices were not checked.
"While blogging is said to be part of civil society, actually there is nothing civil about it," said the former Malay Mail editor.
He explained that though there were many good commentaries put out by bloggers, as many cast accusations and resort to name-calling in their posts.
During his session, Ahiruddin also warned that bloggers must be careful of falling into the same traps the mainstream press had found themselves entrenched in."Blogs now attract advertisements too and we must be mindful of this and continue to write without fear or favour of them."
Another threat he said was the entry of politician bloggers like Muhammad Muhd Taib, former menteri besar Khir Toyo, Mohd Ali Rustam and many more.
Fostering civic society
Syed Idid said that civil society carries many definitions but what was important was how blogging (as civil society) can help build a civic society."If any blogger, just because they see themselves as being free to write anything vile or vicious or seditious takes the opportunity and brings out bad vibes, then that blogger is not a credit to our happy bloghood and ought not to operate in the blogosphere.
"Having said that, bloggers appear to be free to move about and help our community to achieve 'civil society' status," said Syed Idid.
Among the problems, he said, that bloggers should address to help foster a civic society are safety and security, hardcore poor, local council efficiency and cleanliness and health issues.
On the other hand, Lim spoke up of the need of blogs to discuss and analyse news impartially.
Citing the recent keris apology as an example, Lim said that none of the mainstream media had adressed the apology properly.
While most chose to place a positive spin on it, he asked if the apology was not merely a qualified apology as pointed out by a blog-commentator.
In that respect, Lim pointed out that the blogosphere is not only crucial for commentaries but also as an atmosphere to foster the exchange and discussion of ideas.
Raja Petra presented a daunting future for the print media when he informed the floor that the signs were already there in countries like Indonesia and the United States."During the Vietnam war, four out of five Americans read newspapers while now only two out of five Americans do," said Raja Petra.
"In Indonesia, during the Suharto administration there were 12 million newspapers sold a day. Post-reformasi, the country only sells six million.
"Media baron Rupert Murdoch was quoted as saying that by 2030 there will be no newspapers as everything will be online. The Sun, Star and everything else is in a sunset industry," said Raja Petra.
He reminded bloggers that their role should be to promote a two-party system whereby there is balance in the system.
"When that happens, the people will be the ones having the real power to decide who gets to be in government. This can only be done (by bloggers) by presenting information to the people so that they can make informed decisions," said the MalaysiaToday chief.
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