22 December 2009
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
0
Bank Islam to achieve RM2b in personal financing
Published in The Edge Financial Daily
22 December 2009
22 December 2009
Thursday, December 17, 2009
0
Maybank has little exposure to Dubai, says Wahid
Published on The Edge Online
17 December 2009
Written by Siti Sakinah Abd Latif & Max Koh
KUALA LUMPUR: MALAYAN BANKING BHD [] will not be affected by Dubai's debt crisis given its exposure there of less than 0.2% of the banking group's total assets, said its CEO Datuk Seri Abdul Wahid Omar.
Wahid said the bank's exposure in Dubai was being monitored by its branches in Bahrain and London.
"We are hopeful that the issue in Dubai will be resolved. Abu Dhabi has lent US$10 billion [RM34.2 billion] to enable Nakheel to repay its bond debt, which is a positive development," Wahid told reporters on Dec 17 after a signing ceremony between Maybank and MoneyTree (M) Sdn Bhd for the sponsorship of a year-long financial-literacy programme for youngsters.
He said the development in Dubai would bring back significant confidence and stability to financial markets.
It had been reported that Abu Dhabi recently provided the amount to Dubai to help Dubai World, the state-owned holding company, avoid defaulting on a US$4.1 billion Nakheel bond payment.
On another matter, Abdul Wahid said Maybank had received the final approval from the Vietnamese authorities to increase its stake in An Binh Bank from 15% to 20%.
When Maybank bought its 15% stake in An Binh in March 2008, it was given the option to increase the stake to 20%, which is the highest stake that a foreign company is allowed to hold in Vietnam.
"We are now in the process of finalising the agreement," Wahid said.
On the bank's outlook for next year, Wahid said Maybank was bullish about 2010's economic prospects, adding that its in-house economist had forecast 4.5% growth.
"I think as we recover, obviously, we expect the financial industry to perform well as well," he said.
He said the country's asset policy would continue to create a conducive environment for business.
17 December 2009
Written by Siti Sakinah Abd Latif & Max Koh
KUALA LUMPUR: MALAYAN BANKING BHD [] will not be affected by Dubai's debt crisis given its exposure there of less than 0.2% of the banking group's total assets, said its CEO Datuk Seri Abdul Wahid Omar.
Wahid said the bank's exposure in Dubai was being monitored by its branches in Bahrain and London.
"We are hopeful that the issue in Dubai will be resolved. Abu Dhabi has lent US$10 billion [RM34.2 billion] to enable Nakheel to repay its bond debt, which is a positive development," Wahid told reporters on Dec 17 after a signing ceremony between Maybank and MoneyTree (M) Sdn Bhd for the sponsorship of a year-long financial-literacy programme for youngsters.
He said the development in Dubai would bring back significant confidence and stability to financial markets.
It had been reported that Abu Dhabi recently provided the amount to Dubai to help Dubai World, the state-owned holding company, avoid defaulting on a US$4.1 billion Nakheel bond payment.
On another matter, Abdul Wahid said Maybank had received the final approval from the Vietnamese authorities to increase its stake in An Binh Bank from 15% to 20%.
When Maybank bought its 15% stake in An Binh in March 2008, it was given the option to increase the stake to 20%, which is the highest stake that a foreign company is allowed to hold in Vietnam.
"We are now in the process of finalising the agreement," Wahid said.
On the bank's outlook for next year, Wahid said Maybank was bullish about 2010's economic prospects, adding that its in-house economist had forecast 4.5% growth.
"I think as we recover, obviously, we expect the financial industry to perform well as well," he said.
He said the country's asset policy would continue to create a conducive environment for business.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
0
Full conversion to Islamic finance by end-2010, says PTPTN
Published in The Edge Online
17 December 2009
By Max Koh and Siti Sakinah Abdul Latif
KUALA LUMPUR: The National Higher Education Fund (PTPTN) plans to convert its conventional education loan scheme for all current 1.45 million student borrowers to the new syariah-compliant education financing programme by December next year.
Pursuant to the conversion, the 4% interest rate for loan repayment under conventional banking scheme will be replaced with a 1% administrative charge under the new scheme based on the Islamic principle of Ujrah.
Out of the total loan recipients, 192,059 have since December 2008 been automatically offered to repay their loans under the new Islamic scheme.
"By end of 2010, it will certainly be done (the full conversion),” the statutory body's chief executive officer Yunos Abdul Ghani said after a signing ceremony between PTPTN and AmIslamic Bank here on Dec 16 for the bank to finance RM1.5 billion and act as a facility agent for 10 years to the statutory body.
This is the second commercial financing arrangement that PTPTN has secured. The first involved a RM1.5 billion government-guaranteed commercial financing arrangement from CIMB Islamic Bank Bhd in July 2009.
PTPTN received its funding from the government from 1997 to 2002 of RM5 billion. In 2003, government spending was stopped and PTPTN had to look for alternatives, receiving RM500 million and RM12.5 billion from Kumpulan Wang Amanah Pencen (KWAP) and Employees Provident Fund (EPF) respectively, in the following five years.
The total funding that PTPTN has received over the years is a whopping RM21 billion to help finance higher institutional students in the country.
"At the moment, we have 391,790 students under our loan scheme. For 2010, we have a total of 166,116 newly approved loan applications with loans amounting to RM1.5 billion to be disbursed by April 2010," said PTPTN chairman Datuk Dr Mohamad Shahrum Osman.
"However, an additional RM2.5 billion is still needed to support loan applicants until the end of next year," he added.
The total 1.45 million loan applications approved since PTPTN's inception in 1997 up to November 2009 is said to require financial allocation of RM31.17 billion for the students to complete their studies.
17 December 2009
By Max Koh and Siti Sakinah Abdul Latif
KUALA LUMPUR: The National Higher Education Fund (PTPTN) plans to convert its conventional education loan scheme for all current 1.45 million student borrowers to the new syariah-compliant education financing programme by December next year.
Pursuant to the conversion, the 4% interest rate for loan repayment under conventional banking scheme will be replaced with a 1% administrative charge under the new scheme based on the Islamic principle of Ujrah.
Out of the total loan recipients, 192,059 have since December 2008 been automatically offered to repay their loans under the new Islamic scheme.
"By end of 2010, it will certainly be done (the full conversion),” the statutory body's chief executive officer Yunos Abdul Ghani said after a signing ceremony between PTPTN and AmIslamic Bank here on Dec 16 for the bank to finance RM1.5 billion and act as a facility agent for 10 years to the statutory body.
This is the second commercial financing arrangement that PTPTN has secured. The first involved a RM1.5 billion government-guaranteed commercial financing arrangement from CIMB Islamic Bank Bhd in July 2009.
PTPTN received its funding from the government from 1997 to 2002 of RM5 billion. In 2003, government spending was stopped and PTPTN had to look for alternatives, receiving RM500 million and RM12.5 billion from Kumpulan Wang Amanah Pencen (KWAP) and Employees Provident Fund (EPF) respectively, in the following five years.
The total funding that PTPTN has received over the years is a whopping RM21 billion to help finance higher institutional students in the country.
"At the moment, we have 391,790 students under our loan scheme. For 2010, we have a total of 166,116 newly approved loan applications with loans amounting to RM1.5 billion to be disbursed by April 2010," said PTPTN chairman Datuk Dr Mohamad Shahrum Osman.
"However, an additional RM2.5 billion is still needed to support loan applicants until the end of next year," he added.
The total 1.45 million loan applications approved since PTPTN's inception in 1997 up to November 2009 is said to require financial allocation of RM31.17 billion for the students to complete their studies.
Sunday, December 6, 2009
0
Fluid Portraits
Published in Sunday People, New Sunday Times
6 December 2009
Fluid portraits
MAX KOH
Yeoh and his painting Rasa Leela, which depicts eight Gopis (cowherd maidens) dancing for the cowherd-god, Krishna, in the cosmic dance of life
ART in Asia has been heavily influenced by themes of spirituality for ages, and this is explored at an exhibition, writes MAX KOH
THE Temple of Fine Arts in Brickfields is now chockful with sculptures and paintings celebrating Lord Krishna. It’s an exhibition called Rasa Leela which features works by celebrated artist Yeoh Jin Leng and dancer-artist Sarasa Krishnan.
One is a sage-like veteran whose works are renowned and is a cultural ambassador for Unesco. The other, a relatively new artist whose works are heavily influenced by her experience as a dancer, for which she is better known.
At the interview on the fourth floor of this year-old building, Yeoh, garbed in a biege dhoti, commands my rapt attention as he espouses the differences between Asian and Western art sensibilities. “You’ll find that Western art has a materialistic outlook on reality, while Asian art relates to a deeper consciousness in relation to aesthetics.”
Yeoh and his black-and-white painting, Dance of the Gopis
Yeoh trained as a teacher at Kirkby and went on to the Chelsea School of Art and Courtauld Institute in London in the 50s. He began exhibiting his works in 1963 and his paintings are in collections around the world, including the national Art Gallery. His artistic career is clearly paralleled by the vocation of teaching, both students and other teachers, and in promoting art, which has been recognised by numerous awards.
For some 15 years, he began to explore the spiritual themes that influence Asian art as a whole.
Yeoh and his sculpture Apsara on display at the Temple of Fine Arts, Brickfields
His study of cosmological and aesthetic foundations of Asian art brought him to visit cities, as well as obscure tribes in Egypt, Nepal, Iran, China, Indo-China and India. “Over the last five years, I was able to consolidate some ideas I had,” he says. “I explored the spirituality that influences Asian art by visiting Southern India.
“I visited the major temples in Chennai. I observed sculptures and murals, explored the history and read quite a bit of the Sanskrit epics, Mahabharata and Vedas.
“I spent a month in Orissa, where I could compare the sculptural, artistic and architectural traditions.” It was only three years later that Yeoh began to paint, inspired by his observations. One of the works displayed at TFA is Rasa Leela, which depicts eight Gopis (cowherd maidens) dancing for the cowherd-god Krishna, in the cosmic dance of life.
Another is the black-and-white Dance Of The Gopis, which captures the expressive movements of the dancers. All his works are a personal exposition of the different rasa (feelings) that is evoked. Also on show are Teoh’s copper sculptures that explore this theme.
While Yeoh’s approach is a personal exposition on the theme, Sarasa’s works are borne out of her love for Lord Krishna. “My paintings are an outpouring of my love for Krishna. I paint according to what I feel inside,” explains the soft-spoken, petite Sarasa.
Sarasa has been a dancer for more than 30 years and her paintings reflect the two disciplines. “What I paint comes from a very emotional level. I interact emotionally with colours and I explore the various poses and movements in my paintings,” says Sarasa, the artistic director of TFA in Perth.
Vishnu Paadam by Sarasa depicts the cosmic dance of Krishna
One of her pieces, Vishnu Paadam, depicts the cosmic dance of Krishna while the intense Blue Flute shows the calm and joyous visage of Krishna playing his flute. Sarasa uses a lot of bright colours in her paintings and the liberal use of lines depicts a lot of movement. Her paintings are inspired by the teachings of TFA founder Swamiji Shantanand Saraswathi and kathak maestro Pandit Birju Maharaj who taught her to dance in that discipline.
Birju is currently conducting kathak workshops at TFA Brickfields.
Sarasa says she started painting as a child but was “discovered” in Paris only in 2002. A friend asked her to place her paintings as the stage backdrop for Sarasa’s dance performance. A Parisian gallery owner noticed them and invited her to show her works. Soon her paintings were shown in Florence, New York, India and Perth. Sarasa danced and painted Shakti — The Eternal Energy, at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in last year.
Blue Flute shows the calm and joyous visage of Krishna playing his flute
That riveting performance with Umesh Shetty was reported in Sunday People. It stood out from the rest of the events on the festival calendar.
Sarasa says she spent three weeks of 18-hour days painting the works for Rasa Leela. There are 16 paintings on display on Krishna and Ganesha. Each painting is accompanied by poems that are translated or inspired by sacred Hindu texts. “All I did was dance, sleep and paint. The sense of peace and joy that I felt during those moments are reflected here in the paintings.
Sarasa's Blue Eyes shows the passionate gaze of Krishna
6 December 2009
Fluid portraits
MAX KOH
Yeoh and his painting Rasa Leela, which depicts eight Gopis (cowherd maidens) dancing for the cowherd-god, Krishna, in the cosmic dance of life
ART in Asia has been heavily influenced by themes of spirituality for ages, and this is explored at an exhibition, writes MAX KOH
THE Temple of Fine Arts in Brickfields is now chockful with sculptures and paintings celebrating Lord Krishna. It’s an exhibition called Rasa Leela which features works by celebrated artist Yeoh Jin Leng and dancer-artist Sarasa Krishnan.
One is a sage-like veteran whose works are renowned and is a cultural ambassador for Unesco. The other, a relatively new artist whose works are heavily influenced by her experience as a dancer, for which she is better known.
At the interview on the fourth floor of this year-old building, Yeoh, garbed in a biege dhoti, commands my rapt attention as he espouses the differences between Asian and Western art sensibilities. “You’ll find that Western art has a materialistic outlook on reality, while Asian art relates to a deeper consciousness in relation to aesthetics.”
Yeoh and his black-and-white painting, Dance of the Gopis
Yeoh trained as a teacher at Kirkby and went on to the Chelsea School of Art and Courtauld Institute in London in the 50s. He began exhibiting his works in 1963 and his paintings are in collections around the world, including the national Art Gallery. His artistic career is clearly paralleled by the vocation of teaching, both students and other teachers, and in promoting art, which has been recognised by numerous awards.
For some 15 years, he began to explore the spiritual themes that influence Asian art as a whole.
Yeoh and his sculpture Apsara on display at the Temple of Fine Arts, Brickfields
His study of cosmological and aesthetic foundations of Asian art brought him to visit cities, as well as obscure tribes in Egypt, Nepal, Iran, China, Indo-China and India. “Over the last five years, I was able to consolidate some ideas I had,” he says. “I explored the spirituality that influences Asian art by visiting Southern India.
“I visited the major temples in Chennai. I observed sculptures and murals, explored the history and read quite a bit of the Sanskrit epics, Mahabharata and Vedas.
“I spent a month in Orissa, where I could compare the sculptural, artistic and architectural traditions.” It was only three years later that Yeoh began to paint, inspired by his observations. One of the works displayed at TFA is Rasa Leela, which depicts eight Gopis (cowherd maidens) dancing for the cowherd-god Krishna, in the cosmic dance of life.
Another is the black-and-white Dance Of The Gopis, which captures the expressive movements of the dancers. All his works are a personal exposition of the different rasa (feelings) that is evoked. Also on show are Teoh’s copper sculptures that explore this theme.
While Yeoh’s approach is a personal exposition on the theme, Sarasa’s works are borne out of her love for Lord Krishna. “My paintings are an outpouring of my love for Krishna. I paint according to what I feel inside,” explains the soft-spoken, petite Sarasa.
Sarasa has been a dancer for more than 30 years and her paintings reflect the two disciplines. “What I paint comes from a very emotional level. I interact emotionally with colours and I explore the various poses and movements in my paintings,” says Sarasa, the artistic director of TFA in Perth.
Vishnu Paadam by Sarasa depicts the cosmic dance of Krishna
One of her pieces, Vishnu Paadam, depicts the cosmic dance of Krishna while the intense Blue Flute shows the calm and joyous visage of Krishna playing his flute. Sarasa uses a lot of bright colours in her paintings and the liberal use of lines depicts a lot of movement. Her paintings are inspired by the teachings of TFA founder Swamiji Shantanand Saraswathi and kathak maestro Pandit Birju Maharaj who taught her to dance in that discipline.
Birju is currently conducting kathak workshops at TFA Brickfields.
Sarasa says she started painting as a child but was “discovered” in Paris only in 2002. A friend asked her to place her paintings as the stage backdrop for Sarasa’s dance performance. A Parisian gallery owner noticed them and invited her to show her works. Soon her paintings were shown in Florence, New York, India and Perth. Sarasa danced and painted Shakti — The Eternal Energy, at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in last year.
Blue Flute shows the calm and joyous visage of Krishna playing his flute
That riveting performance with Umesh Shetty was reported in Sunday People. It stood out from the rest of the events on the festival calendar.
Sarasa says she spent three weeks of 18-hour days painting the works for Rasa Leela. There are 16 paintings on display on Krishna and Ganesha. Each painting is accompanied by poems that are translated or inspired by sacred Hindu texts. “All I did was dance, sleep and paint. The sense of peace and joy that I felt during those moments are reflected here in the paintings.
Sarasa's Blue Eyes shows the passionate gaze of Krishna
“Krishna is different to each of us. That’s why Krishna’s features vary from painting to painting. The only thing that is constant is the eyes.”
Rasa Leela art exhibition runs at the Temple Fine Arts, Brickfields until Dec 13, 2009.
Monday, November 30, 2009
0
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
0
Sarimah speaks out
Published in Sunday People, New Sunday Times
15 November 2009
TV host Sarimah Ibrahim talks to MAX KOH about The Biggest Loser Asia, her brush with cancer and why it’s so important to take care of Sarimah the person first before Sarimah the celebrity
SARIMAH Ibrahim is not an unfamiliar face in the broadcasting industry. After bursting onto the small screen 13 years ago in The Attic Show, the television host has charmed audiences with her bubbly personality and can-do attitude.
Meeting her for the first time at this interview, I am amazed at how youthful she looks. I first saw her on television when I was in lower secondary school and here she is now, in the flesh! It’s as though 13 years have flashed by and she’s barely been touched by the vestiges of time.
Sarimah makes herself comfy on the sofa in the NSTP studio room and removes her sash that reads Ambassador Against Cervical Cancer. Though she’s feeling a little tired, she bravely puts on a winsome smile and exudes that effervescent personality that has been charming audiences for years.
“The skill is in looking good even when you’re tired and haven’t slept or eaten,” she confides. “It’s what people expect of us. As a television personality, we give people a form of escapism.”
One does wonder how she does it. She had just come from a 15-hour shoot for The Biggest Loser Asia (TBLA) and to make things worse, she had a flat tyre on the way.
Sarimah is here to talk about her experience hosting the first TBLA which premieres on the Hallmark Channel on Nov 24.
“It’s definitely an exciting, overwhelmingly experience for me. It has been an eye-opener and I’m learning new things every day,” she says.
Feedback from the producer and director has been nothing but encouraging. “What’s really great about working on this show is that I don’t have to compromise my values and morals. The director and producers listen and value my input for the show,” she adds.
Sarimah was auditioning for Contender Asia when she was asked to go for a screen test for TBLA as well. Three months later, she received a call saying that she got the job.
“My background (she has worked in Ireland, Dubai and Malaysia) appealed to them. They felt I was most suitable because of my image, my popularity and what I represented for women, men, family values, Asians and my uniqueness,” she adds.
During the TBLA auditions in the different South-East Asian countries, Sarimah was overwhelmed by how the people were so receptive of her.
“It was like one of those bingung moments. They were rushing to take pictures with me. I supposed they can identify themselves with me because of my mixed heritage,” says Sarimah who has Irish, Italian, Chinese, Malay and Indonesian blood.
I mean, I can represent the whole world,” she says, laughing. “You couldn’t mix it up any more than me.”
This has been her most challenging job so far. “Hosting a reality show is challenging because you incorporate elements of acting, singing and modelling. This show takes it to next level because of it regional and possibly international level.”
TBLA will be broadcasted in more than 20 countries in Asia with possibility of reaching Europe and United States.
Recently, she was named spokesperson for National Cancer Society Malaysia’s (NCSM) “Power Over Cervical Cancer” awareness campaign.
Her involvement could not have been more personal as Sarimah was once diagnosed with a cyst in her cervix.
“Several years ago, I was so career-driven that I forgot to put myself as a woman first. I was busy being a TV host, singer, actress and model and I took my health for granted.
“I experienced pain in my tummy and I had to go to the toilet very often. But I ignored the signs, thinking that I just had a weak bladder. Because I did not take early preventive measures and go for tests, I developed a cyst.
“I only found out when I almost fainted on location one day because of the severe pain. I went for a pap smear because I knew there was something not right. The doctor sent me for a scan and found a cyst the size of a small watermelon.”
She underwent emergency operation the next day to have it removed. “The doctor said I was lucky because it could have burst or developed into cancer.”
She was told that the cyst had been growing for the past seven years.
Sarimah did the math and realised it dated back to the start of her career. “I was so busy focusing on my job that I forgot about my health.”
Her younger brother was diagnosed with leukaemia. “We never thought it could happen to him because he was only 18, handsome and an outgoing person. He went for treatment and thank God he is now alive and healthy.
The thing is, it can happen to anyone — your brother, sister, parents or friends. So put your health first.”
This is also why Sarimah has agreed to be a spokesperson for NCSM. “There are things in life than you can control and things you cannot. If you love yourself or a woman in your life, encourage yourself or her to take the tests and let professionals take care of you.”
“This year has been an eye-opener. I’ve had to rethink my health priorities. I realise that being a celebrity comes with great responsibilities. The moment I step out of my apartment, I am in the public eye. Therefore, I have to be careful with everything I say or do.
“I realised this when I got divorced recently and my picture appeared on the front page of a daily newspaper, sharing space with the Prime Minister and Angelina Jolie,” she says, laughing. “A mistake will have a ripple effect on your career.”
While she maintains a friendly relationship with her ex-husband, she is launching Sarimah Sdn Bhd in a few months.
“Lately, I realised that I have a huge impression on people around me. What I say, what I stand for and what I do have an effect on people. So, with branding myself, I can express what I stand for more clearly, rather than have news of what I do scattered around.”
That includes putting Sarimah the person before the celebrity. “My doctor says I’m as healthy as a horse today. If I don’t take care of myself, I won’t be able to speak up for things that I’m passionate about.
“And while I’m still can, let everyone use my voice for good causes.”
The Biggest Loser Asia premieres on Hallmark Channel on Nov 24 and airs every Tuesday at 9pm.
15 November 2009
TV host Sarimah Ibrahim talks to MAX KOH about The Biggest Loser Asia, her brush with cancer and why it’s so important to take care of Sarimah the person first before Sarimah the celebrity
SARIMAH Ibrahim is not an unfamiliar face in the broadcasting industry. After bursting onto the small screen 13 years ago in The Attic Show, the television host has charmed audiences with her bubbly personality and can-do attitude.
Meeting her for the first time at this interview, I am amazed at how youthful she looks. I first saw her on television when I was in lower secondary school and here she is now, in the flesh! It’s as though 13 years have flashed by and she’s barely been touched by the vestiges of time.
Sarimah makes herself comfy on the sofa in the NSTP studio room and removes her sash that reads Ambassador Against Cervical Cancer. Though she’s feeling a little tired, she bravely puts on a winsome smile and exudes that effervescent personality that has been charming audiences for years.
“The skill is in looking good even when you’re tired and haven’t slept or eaten,” she confides. “It’s what people expect of us. As a television personality, we give people a form of escapism.”
One does wonder how she does it. She had just come from a 15-hour shoot for The Biggest Loser Asia (TBLA) and to make things worse, she had a flat tyre on the way.
Sarimah is here to talk about her experience hosting the first TBLA which premieres on the Hallmark Channel on Nov 24.
“It’s definitely an exciting, overwhelmingly experience for me. It has been an eye-opener and I’m learning new things every day,” she says.
Feedback from the producer and director has been nothing but encouraging. “What’s really great about working on this show is that I don’t have to compromise my values and morals. The director and producers listen and value my input for the show,” she adds.
Sarimah was auditioning for Contender Asia when she was asked to go for a screen test for TBLA as well. Three months later, she received a call saying that she got the job.
“My background (she has worked in Ireland, Dubai and Malaysia) appealed to them. They felt I was most suitable because of my image, my popularity and what I represented for women, men, family values, Asians and my uniqueness,” she adds.
During the TBLA auditions in the different South-East Asian countries, Sarimah was overwhelmed by how the people were so receptive of her.
“It was like one of those bingung moments. They were rushing to take pictures with me. I supposed they can identify themselves with me because of my mixed heritage,” says Sarimah who has Irish, Italian, Chinese, Malay and Indonesian blood.
I mean, I can represent the whole world,” she says, laughing. “You couldn’t mix it up any more than me.”
This has been her most challenging job so far. “Hosting a reality show is challenging because you incorporate elements of acting, singing and modelling. This show takes it to next level because of it regional and possibly international level.”
TBLA will be broadcasted in more than 20 countries in Asia with possibility of reaching Europe and United States.
Sarimah's voice for the voiceless
Recently, she was named spokesperson for National Cancer Society Malaysia’s (NCSM) “Power Over Cervical Cancer” awareness campaign.
Her involvement could not have been more personal as Sarimah was once diagnosed with a cyst in her cervix.
“Several years ago, I was so career-driven that I forgot to put myself as a woman first. I was busy being a TV host, singer, actress and model and I took my health for granted.
“I experienced pain in my tummy and I had to go to the toilet very often. But I ignored the signs, thinking that I just had a weak bladder. Because I did not take early preventive measures and go for tests, I developed a cyst.
“I only found out when I almost fainted on location one day because of the severe pain. I went for a pap smear because I knew there was something not right. The doctor sent me for a scan and found a cyst the size of a small watermelon.”
She underwent emergency operation the next day to have it removed. “The doctor said I was lucky because it could have burst or developed into cancer.”
She was told that the cyst had been growing for the past seven years.
Sarimah did the math and realised it dated back to the start of her career. “I was so busy focusing on my job that I forgot about my health.”
Her younger brother was diagnosed with leukaemia. “We never thought it could happen to him because he was only 18, handsome and an outgoing person. He went for treatment and thank God he is now alive and healthy.
The thing is, it can happen to anyone — your brother, sister, parents or friends. So put your health first.”
This is also why Sarimah has agreed to be a spokesperson for NCSM. “There are things in life than you can control and things you cannot. If you love yourself or a woman in your life, encourage yourself or her to take the tests and let professionals take care of you.”
Today, Sarimah goes for regular check-ups and is more diligent about her health. “Whenever I have the time, I exercise and I do Pilates at least three times a week,” she says. “This is why I can endure 15 hours of shooting and still come here to talk to you.”
Sarimah Sdn Bhd
“This year has been an eye-opener. I’ve had to rethink my health priorities. I realise that being a celebrity comes with great responsibilities. The moment I step out of my apartment, I am in the public eye. Therefore, I have to be careful with everything I say or do.
“I realised this when I got divorced recently and my picture appeared on the front page of a daily newspaper, sharing space with the Prime Minister and Angelina Jolie,” she says, laughing. “A mistake will have a ripple effect on your career.”
While she maintains a friendly relationship with her ex-husband, she is launching Sarimah Sdn Bhd in a few months.
“Lately, I realised that I have a huge impression on people around me. What I say, what I stand for and what I do have an effect on people. So, with branding myself, I can express what I stand for more clearly, rather than have news of what I do scattered around.”
That includes putting Sarimah the person before the celebrity. “My doctor says I’m as healthy as a horse today. If I don’t take care of myself, I won’t be able to speak up for things that I’m passionate about.
“And while I’m still can, let everyone use my voice for good causes.”
The Biggest Loser Asia premieres on Hallmark Channel on Nov 24 and airs every Tuesday at 9pm.
Media Analysis: Comparison on the Permatang Pauh by-elections coverage by The Star and Malaysiakini and why independent media is important
This is a seminar paper I wrote for Media Context subject for Taylor's College.
The most important role of independent media is to provide an alternative voice. Discuss.
Media Analysis: Comparison on the Permatang Pauh by-elections coverage by The Star and Malaysiakini and why independent media is important
By Max Koh
Introduction
When Anwar Ibrahim emerged as the winner in the Permatang Pauh by-elections, blogs across the Internet rejoiced at the prospect of the Opposition de facto leader’s return to the political arena. It is, after all, a no simple by-elections. It has been ten years since the exiled former Deputy Prime Minister was sacked of his post, detained, charged in court, convicted and sentenced to 15 years of incarceration (Nain and Wang 2004). His eventual win would signify his return as a member in Parliament and is also closely tied to his bid to take over the government by September 16 (Malaysiakini 2008). His pledge, if fulfilled, would usher in a new Malaysia which for the first time- will see a new administration in place of ruling incumbent party Barisan Nasional (BN).
The sentiments in the online world were particularly significant as at the win was largely influenced by the Internet’s ability to provide an alternative voice to the coverage portrayed in the mainstream media (Netto 2008). At the heart of this independent voice is several blogs and also online independent news portal Malaysiakini to provide alternative views and coverage during the by-elections. The role of independent media could not be discounted in the eventual by-election outcome.
The purpose of this paper is to examine how the independent media has functioned as an alternative voice during this crucial by-elections period. We will examine coverage by independent news portal Malaysiakini and compare them to mainstream newspaper The Star during the by-elections period from 16th August to 27th August 2008. We will then discuss how the alternative voice is important as an agent of democratization, in fulfilling its role as gatekeepers, and to provide as an important alternative source to traditional news sources.
Background
Studies by scholars have shown that mainstream media is likely to portray in favour of the ruling government especially during the elections period. This nature is largely attributed to the fact that most mainstream media is owned or under control of the BN component parties (Loh and Mustafa 1996). Anuar (2003) observed that during the 1999 General Elections, coverage was tilted towards the ruling parties. The mainstream media exhibited favouritism and biasness.
The 1999 general election is especially significant as precedent to that, deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim was sacked by then Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad amidst sleazy allegations of sodomy, adultery, and abuse of power. However, certain quarters perceived the sacking as a top-level conspiracy headed by Mahathir, who had been logging heads with Anwar in certain policies, especially those pertaining to the 1997 Asian financial crisis (Nain and Wang 2004).
Anwar retaliated by going on a nationwide campaign to clear his name and soon detailed cases of nepotism (especially those involving Mahathir’s family), and cronyism (involving business friend of Mahathir and previous finance minister, Daim Zainuddin) emerged. The Reformasi movement begin to gain momentum as Anwar was arrested under the draconian Internal Security Act (ISA), his subsequent “black eye” incident, and his conviction that created splits especially within the Malay community.
However, these allegations and incidents were largely downplayed, if not ignored by the mainstream media, as it begin to lose its credibility in the eyes of critical citizens. The economic and political crisis was not discussed in the mainstream newspapers, and more importantly, the government’s bail-out of selected companies belonging to his children was never discussed. This has led the public to lose trust in the mainstream media (Sabri 2000).
Following that, the crackdown on dissents began with pro-reformasi and pro-Opposition publications having their printing permits revoked. Attention then shifted to the Internet for alternative news. It was at that time, Malaysia’s first web-based newspaper, Malaysiakini, was launched. It describes itself as “an Internet media project featuring independent news coverage, investigative journalism and in-depth analysis... conceived by journalists unhappy with the sorry state of our mass media” (Malaysiakini 2008) and within a year, it received rave write-ups and won numerous international awards (Nain and Wang 2003). The mainstream media continued to be biased.
The pattern did not change during the recent March 2008 general elections. A media monitor initiative by the Centre for Independence Journalism (CIJ), Writers Alliance for Media Independence (WAMI) and Charter 2000-Aliran showed that the biasness still persisted in major print media to toe the line of the incumbent government BN and its candidates (Aliran 2008). The unfavourable treatment of the press was shown when the Opposition won its most seats in history, showing their distrust of the viral propaganda exhibited by mainstream press.
These incidents serve as a backdrop to our study as Permatang Pauh operated in a post-March 2008 media climate. In a talk by Sunday Star editor Soo Ewe Jin (2008) to Taylor’s College students, he observed that the mainstream media has allocated more space for the Opposition party as they have successfully become elected public officials (including blogger Jeff Ooi who runs the influential political blog Screenshots). This sentiment is shared by blogger Anil Netto (2008) who said that various mainstream newspapers are providing more coverage of the Oppositional views. In our study, we seek to investigate these observations and affirm our hypothesis that the independent media is still needed as an alternative voice for several reasons.
Methodology
The study was conducted from 16th August to 27th August 2008; from the nomination day of the candidates to the day after the election results. The extensive periods provide ample and complete resources for our study. We have chosen the mainstream newspaper The Star and online independent portal Malaysiakini as the subjects or our research. We will examine the content of stories published every day and conduct a direct comparison in terms of priming, framing and agenda-setting.
From the outset, we assume that Malaysiakini will be more balance and extensive in its coverage of the elections. The Star, while said to be more extensive in its coverage since the March 2008 results, is predicted to be limited in its coverage compared to its mainstream counterpart.
The study is limited to the fact that only two media outlets are studied in this research. Nevertheless, the choices will reflect the general nature of these two supposedly opposing media. The Star was chosen because it is the leading newspaper with the largest readership in Malaysia (Neilsen Media Research Q4 2007) while Malaysiakini is considered the leading source for independent news (Malaysiakini 2008).
Analysis
In our research, we found that The Star showed obvious bias by the placement of news stories in the Permatang Pauh by-election coverage during the whole campaign period. News about BN activities and its candidate Arif Shah were published in the first few pages and given precedence while news of Opposition is sidelined. Pictures of Arif and BN leaders were featured more in its pages than Opposition members. Even though the Opposition members may be covered, they are often portrayed negatively. On 17 August, The Star’s report ‘Another photographer claims assault’ negatively alleged that Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) members assaulted photographers. The next day, another article titled ‘Unruly behaviour rapped’ appeared where PKR’s supporters were described as vulgar and lewd (The Star, 18 August 2008). Again, the newspaper is quick to portray BN leaders in the good light while accusation against Anwar by various BN leaders appeared on the first few pages (The Star, 20 August 2008).
In comparison, Malaysiakini did not shy away from news that linked Arif to negative elements. A case in example is the coverage of Arif’s brother to a scandal and the questionable procuring of his bogus PhD (Malaysiakini, August 18, 22). Other news angles otherwise ignored by The Star but covered by Malaysiakini was the questionable sodomy claims of Saiful Bukhari (former aide of Anwar who claimed to be sodomised) by the Ustaz who oversee his swearing, an NGO’s protest of the electoral roll, and BN’s ‘phantom’ buses (Malaysiakini, August 18, 22, 25, 26). Even the post-election result news gave unflinchingly supporting the Opposition: ‘Anwar gets big majority, BN concedes humiliation defeat’ (Malaysiakini, August 26) while The Star’s angle on the win was how Deputy Prime Minister affirms that ‘democracy is alive and well’ (The Star, August 27).
For direct comparison, we will examine the two post-election result news stories. In The Star’s main story, ‘Democracy is alive and well, says Najib’ (The Star, August 27) the lead paragraph was already framed in favour of the ruling government. The framing was such that it still portrayed government in the good light and took their comment in precedent of Anwar’s statements even though he won the elections. In a similar story, Malaysiakini opted for the headline ‘BN concedes humiliating defeat’ (Malaysiakini, August 26) which already framed the BN as the losing party and humiliated.
In another article published by The Star, ‘Water bottles hurled at Najib’ (August 27) again portrayed Anwar’s supporters as violent and rude. While this was not covered in Malaysiakini, similar rude behaviour was also demonstrated by BN supporters including a picture showing its members making crude gestures depicting a sodomy action (an obvious poke at Anwar). This picture was published on Malaysiakini but avoided altogether in The Star.
Conclusion
These examples have clearly shown that Malaysiakini provides an alternative view to the news coverage provided by the mainstream media, as exemplified by The Star. This independent role offering alternative view is especially important in this country where the mainstream media is government-owned. McCombs and Shaw (1972) claims that ownership largely creates agenda setting on part of the editorial where “news influences and helps to shape public awareness and debate”.
The government-owned The Star gave much focus and significance to BN while Malaysiakini’s coverage was more balanced and tilted towards the Opposition. While Malaysiakini claims to be non-partisan, the readership proves to be anti-government as can be clearly seen in the Voxpopuli and comment sections. On August 26 Voxpopuli “Anwar a lucky charm for nation” showed how the public supports Anwar while The Star tends to portray Anwar negatively. Agenda setting as influenced by their owners does not contribute well to democracy as it presents an un-directional model to an issue especially during the elections (Blumler et al 1989).
The existence of independent voices such as Malaysiakini provides an opportunity of access to information otherwise neglected by the mainstream media. This contributes to the process of democratisation where everyone has “the access to increasingly professional and cheap tools or production to publish to a global audience” (Gilmour cited in Allan 2006). When the mainstream media is restricted and limited by acts such as the Printing & Press Act and ISA, cybervoice allows marginalised voices and views to be heard. Independent online news website such as Malaysiakini is able to contravene some of the draconian laws in Malaysia. The study has shown that Malaysiakini reported on issues such as Arif’s bogus PhD, Saiful’s unceremonious swearing which will otherwise be not represented in the mainstream media. This information is important in order for the electoral to make an informed and effective decision.
Malaysiakini also allows the voices of the people to be heard in an otherwise one-way communication model practiced by traditional media. The ability for readers to comment allows interactivity and shape the direction and news content of the day. We observed that the Voxpopuli section of Malaysiakini allowed dissenting views while The Star published letters that were inclined to the ruling powers.
While Malaysiakini allowed dissents views to be published, a more balanced practice of reporting would serve the community better to provide a well-represented view of an issue. It should strive to provide a multi-perspectical news reporting which “ideally... encompasses fact and opinion reflecting all possible perspectives” (Gans 2003). At a time when mainstream media’s credibility is questioned, independent voices like Malaysiakini can lead the way towards more effective, respectable, credible and functional journalism.
(1,901 words)
References
‘Another photographer claims assault’ 2008, The Star, 17 August, p.4
Netto, A 2008, There’s a new opposition newspaper in town, online, retrieved 12 May 2008, from http://anilnetto.com/2008/03/15/red-faced-editors-try-to-reinvent-mainstream-media/.
Sabri, Z 2000, Face off: A Malaysian reformasi diary (1998-1999), Big O Books, Singapore.
Soo, EJ 2008, Speech in Taylor’s College, unpublished.
‘Unruly behaviour rapped’ 2008, The Star, 18 August, p.3
Utusan tops as the most pro-BN paper, online, retrieved 14 May 2008, from http://www.aliran.com/elections/.
‘Water bottles hurled at Najib’, The Star, 27 August, p.4
‘Your Say: Saiful, don’t hide behind religion’, Malaysiakini, 18 August, viewed 4 September 2008, < http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/87998>.
Seminar Paper: Ethical journalism requires conscientious decision-making in context
This is a seminar paper that I wrote for my Journalism Ethics subject in Taylor's College.
Ethical journalism requires conscientious decision-making in context
By Max Koh
It is the society that grants journalists the power to observe and report, and the society expect nothing less than true, honest, fair and accurate reporting (Tanner et al 2005). Kovach and Rosenthiel (2004) argue that journalists’ first loyalty to the citizens and their objective is to report facts as truthful and honest as possible. However, in fulfilling these responsibilities to the public, journalists face decision-making process everyday that is not always so obviously determined by a set of codes and law. Franklin (2005) argues that while journalistic codes of ethics exist to assist reporters to make those important decisions every day, ultimately it is conscience that becomes the ethical compass in situations where no formal codes can give clear guidance or morally dictates a decision is right or wrong. Franklin (2005) argues that the more experience a journalist is, the more readily he/she should recognise that such codes are not all-inclusive.
Nevertheless, Voakes (1997) argues that there is a hierarchy of social influences that influence journalists’ decision-making in ethical situations at most of the times, whether explicitly or not. This view is shared by Tanner (2005) who argues that journalists wrestle daily with their consciences in making ethical decisions in the newsroom.
However, this form of perception is further added by a moral compass that steers how journalists operate in the newsroom. Studies have shown that journalists are drawn to the profession by a sense of social responsibility (Schultz 1998). This include the journalists’ strive to report the truth in fairness and as accurately as possible on order to serve the public interest (Kovach & Rosenthiel 2004). This ‘desire to be ethical’ (Merrill 1997) forms the foundation of journalistic responsibility and can be categorised into three overarching behavioural norms: truth-telling, responsibility, and free expression (Christians 1989). Firstly, journalists strive to report reality as accurately as possible without fiction (truth-telling). Responsibility refers to the sense of behaviour where journalists act in order to serve the public and be accountable to them. And free expression relates to the internal desire to have personal freedom from external influences.
In a talk on journalism ethics to Taylors College student recently, Centre of Journalism editor Gayathry Venkiteswaran (2008) said that a cadet journalist who enters the newsroom can be very easily influenced by the cultural norms that exist within the news institution. She advised the cadets to hold on to their personal ethics and not succumb easily to social norms. This newsroom cultural norms can be interpreted as the small group social influence, and is confirmed by Schultz’s (1998) 1992 Media and Democracy Survey that ‘Colleagues are consistently the most significant source of guidance for the journalists surveyed.’ Findings in Voakes’ (1997) survey support this view as it is found that colleagues and editors often embolden a journalist to take some risk ethically. A 10-question-model proposed by Black, Steele and Barney’s (1997) advise journalists to seek other perspectives in their daily decision-making process. Within the newsroom culture, it is the fellow journalists and editors that one mostly seeks advice and help from. This is crucial as the more experienced senior journalists and editors will be able to help journalists make ethical journalistic decisions.
It is also found in Voakes’ (1998) study that the organisation continues to highly influence decision-making by scoring the highest value. Another study by Johnstone et al (1973) found that the type of organisation have a bearing on how a journalist defines his responsibilities. It also found that the larger and more powerful news organisations allow the journalist to play a more active role in their decision-making process. Johnstone argues that an organisation by its very nature places restrictions on individual autonomy. In her speech, Venkiteswaran (2008) said that most journalists working in local mainstream media had their stories killed or altered in order to protect the interest of the media owners.
Competitive influence is concerned with the organisation’s relations with competitive news media in its market as well as the organisation’s place in the market (Voakes 1997). Weaver and Wilhoit (1996) found that competing media ranked seventh out of nine choices for influences for news judgement. While the study by Voakes (1997) also found that competitiveness is the least influential factor in ethical decision-making process, it is still important as it does have some bearing on the journalist’s ultimate decision on ethical situation.
Occupational values comprise a common system of attitudes and beliefs that is transformed through the process of socialisation, into a system of norms to guide behaviour. This can be divided into two: the formal ‘professional’ ethical codes of conduct which is more concrete and the ongoing evolving of occupational norms. The formal codes of ethics are such as those drawn up by the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA) and National Union of Journalists. But while they do exist, they are rarely if ever enforced (Marzolf 1991). However, they do provide the articulation of the attitudes and general behaviour that is practiced by journalists in ethical decision-making. Tanner et al (2004) confirms that while codes of ethics are powerless, the professional codes are significant as they are the practitioners’ own articulation of the central principles governing their conduct. Professional codes are vital and as a comparison of the European codes (Laitila 1995) has shown, most codes share three key principles: accountability to the public, accountability to the sources and referents, and protection of the journalist’s professional integrity. So while the code alone cannot ensure ethical journalism, it is still an important influence in making ethical decisions (Voakes 1997).
Extramedia refers to influences from outside the organisations and structures of the news media (Shoemaker & Reese 1996). There are two main extramedia influences: sources of information and audience reaction. Gans (1979) posits that there is a symbiotic relationship between journalists and their sources. If a journalist writes against the favour of his source, he risk cutting off the flow of information for the future. Chequebook journalism and ‘freebies’ also comes into play and may give rise to conflicts of interest.
Ethical decisions are very much influenced by legal obligations as well. In Malaysia, the presence of repressive laws such as the Internal Security Act (ISA), Official Secret Act (OSA), Printing Presses and Publication Act (PPPA), and Broadcasting Act inhibit the way journalists approach news and views, careful not to stir up ‘sensitive’ sentiments (Nain & Lay Kim 2004). The way journalists write in mainstream media has been affected ever since the Operasi Lalang crackdown in 1987 when the government shut down three national newspapers, The Star, Watan, and Sin Chew Jit Poh, and had their publishing permits or licensed revoked under the ISA when they reported sensitive issues about Chinese education and inter-ethnic tensions between political parties. When The Star was revived some months later, it was very much less critical of the government. Clearly, the ways journalists approach their news are very much influenced by the draconian laws that the government use to intimidate the press (Mustafa 1985). Similarly, the government often invoke the PPPA in order to keep the media in check, threatening to revoke their licenses if they should write something that is not flattery to the government (Nain & Lay Kim 2004). With repressive laws that intimidates, the journalist’s role to report the truth without fear or bias is often impeded.
In conclusion, it is clear that conscientious decision-making cannot be separated from the practice of ethical journalism as clearly illustrated by the seven factors of social influence: individual, small group, organisation, competition, occupation, extramedia, and law. While these factors continue to steer the way journalist function in the newsroom and fulfil their role as interpreter of events to the public, it is imperative that journalists practice a form of ethical journalism in order to do their jobs well. As Joseph Pulitzer once said: “Without high ethical ideals, a newspaper not only is stripped of its splendid possibilities for public service, but may become a positive danger to the community” (Chadwick 1994). Therefore, ethical journalism in conscientious decision-making is not only a must, but it is the very heart that fortifies the practice of journalism itself. Without ethical journalism which involves conscientious decision-making, the role and function of the press will never be fully realised.
(2175 words)
Ethical journalism requires conscientious decision-making in context
By Max Koh
Intro
It is the society that grants journalists the power to observe and report, and the society expect nothing less than true, honest, fair and accurate reporting (Tanner et al 2005). Kovach and Rosenthiel (2004) argue that journalists’ first loyalty to the citizens and their objective is to report facts as truthful and honest as possible. However, in fulfilling these responsibilities to the public, journalists face decision-making process everyday that is not always so obviously determined by a set of codes and law. Franklin (2005) argues that while journalistic codes of ethics exist to assist reporters to make those important decisions every day, ultimately it is conscience that becomes the ethical compass in situations where no formal codes can give clear guidance or morally dictates a decision is right or wrong. Franklin (2005) argues that the more experience a journalist is, the more readily he/she should recognise that such codes are not all-inclusive.
Nevertheless, Voakes (1997) argues that there is a hierarchy of social influences that influence journalists’ decision-making in ethical situations at most of the times, whether explicitly or not. This view is shared by Tanner (2005) who argues that journalists wrestle daily with their consciences in making ethical decisions in the newsroom.
Whatever it is, it is undisputed that conscientious decision-making is vital and influences ethical journalistic practices in the newsroom. The purpose of this paper is to examine the various factors that influence decision-making process and how journalists are guided in their ethics by intrinsic motivations (such as religious upbringing, personal moral compass, or desire for career advancement) and external heuristics (such as code of ethics, peer pressure, or the threat of reprimand) (Voakes 1997). At end of this paper, we hope to prove that conscientious decision-making is very much integral and vital in the practice of ethical journalism as vouched by various journalists and editors. In order to limit the scope of this paper, we will examine these factors based on the Theory of Social Influences (Shoemaker & Reese 1996). The seven factors are: individual, small group, organisation, competition, occupation, extramedia, and law.
Individual
However, this form of perception is further added by a moral compass that steers how journalists operate in the newsroom. Studies have shown that journalists are drawn to the profession by a sense of social responsibility (Schultz 1998). This include the journalists’ strive to report the truth in fairness and as accurately as possible on order to serve the public interest (Kovach & Rosenthiel 2004). This ‘desire to be ethical’ (Merrill 1997) forms the foundation of journalistic responsibility and can be categorised into three overarching behavioural norms: truth-telling, responsibility, and free expression (Christians 1989). Firstly, journalists strive to report reality as accurately as possible without fiction (truth-telling). Responsibility refers to the sense of behaviour where journalists act in order to serve the public and be accountable to them. And free expression relates to the internal desire to have personal freedom from external influences.
A study conducted by Voakes (1997) found that personal, intrinsic values, does influence the decision-making process of journalists. About 68 per cent of 118 journalists interviewed admitted that personal values and own logic influence ethical journalistic decisions. Personal values such as this, argues Johnstone et al (1972) is vital for it is the journalist’s task to provide the background and interpretation necessary to give events meaning. Johnstone argues that this role is expected of the journalists as they serve the public interest.
Small group
In a talk on journalism ethics to Taylors College student recently, Centre of Journalism editor Gayathry Venkiteswaran (2008) said that a cadet journalist who enters the newsroom can be very easily influenced by the cultural norms that exist within the news institution. She advised the cadets to hold on to their personal ethics and not succumb easily to social norms. This newsroom cultural norms can be interpreted as the small group social influence, and is confirmed by Schultz’s (1998) 1992 Media and Democracy Survey that ‘Colleagues are consistently the most significant source of guidance for the journalists surveyed.’ Findings in Voakes’ (1997) survey support this view as it is found that colleagues and editors often embolden a journalist to take some risk ethically. A 10-question-model proposed by Black, Steele and Barney’s (1997) advise journalists to seek other perspectives in their daily decision-making process. Within the newsroom culture, it is the fellow journalists and editors that one mostly seeks advice and help from. This is crucial as the more experienced senior journalists and editors will be able to help journalists make ethical journalistic decisions.
Organisation
It is also found in Voakes’ (1998) study that the organisation continues to highly influence decision-making by scoring the highest value. Another study by Johnstone et al (1973) found that the type of organisation have a bearing on how a journalist defines his responsibilities. It also found that the larger and more powerful news organisations allow the journalist to play a more active role in their decision-making process. Johnstone argues that an organisation by its very nature places restrictions on individual autonomy. In her speech, Venkiteswaran (2008) said that most journalists working in local mainstream media had their stories killed or altered in order to protect the interest of the media owners.
In the recent general elections, a media monitor by the Centre for Independence Journalism (CIJ), Writers Alliance for Media Independence (WAMI) and Charter 2000-Aliran found that major print media allocated more coverage for the ruling party, Barisan Nasional’s (BN) candidates and activities during the election period (Aliran 2008). This lapse of balance reporting also happened during the 1999 general elections (Anuar 2003) when mainstream media was bias towards the government. This is because most mainstream media in the country are owned and/or under control of the BN parties (Loh and Mustaha 1996). Therefore, it is obvious that organisation values, including the ownership does influence the decision-making process of journalists. This demand to meet the organisation’s goal creates a conflict from time to time as journalists have to respond between the demands of others and the organisational interest. The unprecedented win by the Opposition by the elections proved that the people are losing trust in mainstream newspaper, and trust is vital as the newspaper as regarded as watchdog and not propaganda tools for the government (Venkiteswaran 2008).
Competition
Competitive influence is concerned with the organisation’s relations with competitive news media in its market as well as the organisation’s place in the market (Voakes 1997). Weaver and Wilhoit (1996) found that competing media ranked seventh out of nine choices for influences for news judgement. While the study by Voakes (1997) also found that competitiveness is the least influential factor in ethical decision-making process, it is still important as it does have some bearing on the journalist’s ultimate decision on ethical situation.
Occupation
Occupational values comprise a common system of attitudes and beliefs that is transformed through the process of socialisation, into a system of norms to guide behaviour. This can be divided into two: the formal ‘professional’ ethical codes of conduct which is more concrete and the ongoing evolving of occupational norms. The formal codes of ethics are such as those drawn up by the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA) and National Union of Journalists. But while they do exist, they are rarely if ever enforced (Marzolf 1991). However, they do provide the articulation of the attitudes and general behaviour that is practiced by journalists in ethical decision-making. Tanner et al (2004) confirms that while codes of ethics are powerless, the professional codes are significant as they are the practitioners’ own articulation of the central principles governing their conduct. Professional codes are vital and as a comparison of the European codes (Laitila 1995) has shown, most codes share three key principles: accountability to the public, accountability to the sources and referents, and protection of the journalist’s professional integrity. So while the code alone cannot ensure ethical journalism, it is still an important influence in making ethical decisions (Voakes 1997).
Extramedia
Extramedia refers to influences from outside the organisations and structures of the news media (Shoemaker & Reese 1996). There are two main extramedia influences: sources of information and audience reaction. Gans (1979) posits that there is a symbiotic relationship between journalists and their sources. If a journalist writes against the favour of his source, he risk cutting off the flow of information for the future. Chequebook journalism and ‘freebies’ also comes into play and may give rise to conflicts of interest.
To help journalists avoid these ethical pitfalls that may destroy their credibility, the MEAA Code of Ethics offers clauses 4 to 7. In clause 4, journalists are to not allow personal interest, or any belief, commitment, payment, gift or benefit to undermine his accuracy, fairness or independence. Clause 5 protects the journalist from conflict of interest, commercial interests, and payment respectively. While journalists are generally advised to be detached from their sources, some struggle and become influenced when covering emotive stories such as the Asian tsunami disaster (Tanner et al 2005). While clause 4 may appear to be too draconian, Tanner argues that it just mean ‘journalist needs to be particularly careful.’ It is imperative therefore journalists maintain a level of detachment and independence from external factors, as not to undermine their role and responsibility to report accurately and truthfully for the public interest (Kovach & Rosenthiel 2004). Journalists should not place themselves in position where people can manipulate them or where there is a perception that they have been bought (Tanner et al 2005).
Law
Ethical decisions are very much influenced by legal obligations as well. In Malaysia, the presence of repressive laws such as the Internal Security Act (ISA), Official Secret Act (OSA), Printing Presses and Publication Act (PPPA), and Broadcasting Act inhibit the way journalists approach news and views, careful not to stir up ‘sensitive’ sentiments (Nain & Lay Kim 2004). The way journalists write in mainstream media has been affected ever since the Operasi Lalang crackdown in 1987 when the government shut down three national newspapers, The Star, Watan, and Sin Chew Jit Poh, and had their publishing permits or licensed revoked under the ISA when they reported sensitive issues about Chinese education and inter-ethnic tensions between political parties. When The Star was revived some months later, it was very much less critical of the government. Clearly, the ways journalists approach their news are very much influenced by the draconian laws that the government use to intimidate the press (Mustafa 1985). Similarly, the government often invoke the PPPA in order to keep the media in check, threatening to revoke their licenses if they should write something that is not flattery to the government (Nain & Lay Kim 2004). With repressive laws that intimidates, the journalist’s role to report the truth without fear or bias is often impeded.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it is clear that conscientious decision-making cannot be separated from the practice of ethical journalism as clearly illustrated by the seven factors of social influence: individual, small group, organisation, competition, occupation, extramedia, and law. While these factors continue to steer the way journalist function in the newsroom and fulfil their role as interpreter of events to the public, it is imperative that journalists practice a form of ethical journalism in order to do their jobs well. As Joseph Pulitzer once said: “Without high ethical ideals, a newspaper not only is stripped of its splendid possibilities for public service, but may become a positive danger to the community” (Chadwick 1994). Therefore, ethical journalism in conscientious decision-making is not only a must, but it is the very heart that fortifies the practice of journalism itself. Without ethical journalism which involves conscientious decision-making, the role and function of the press will never be fully realised.
(2175 words)
References
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Black, J, Steele B, Barney, R (eds) 1997, Doing Ethics in Journalism, 3rd edn, Allyn & Bacon, Boston.
Chadwick, P 1994, ‘Creating Codes: Journalism Self-Regulation’, Not Just Another Business: Journalists, Citizens and the Media, Schultz J (ed), Pluto Press, Sydney, pp 167-187.
Christians, CG 1989, ‘Ethical Theory in a Global Setting’, Communication Ethics and Global Change, Cooper TW (ed), Longman, New York, pp 3-19.
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Hargreaves, I 2003, Journalism: Truth or Dare, Oxford University Press, Oxford.
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National Union of Journalists Malaysia 2008, National Union of Journalists Malaysia Code of Ethics, Kuala Lumpur, viewed 5 June 2008
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Venkiteswaran, G 2008, Ethics in Journalism, Talk to Taylor’s College students at Taylor’s College, 11 June.
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White, HA 1996, ‘The Salience and Pertinence of Ethics: When Journalists Do and Don’t Think for Themselves’, Journalism ans Mass Communication Quaterly, vol. 73, no.1, pp. 17-28.
Essay: The application of Internet research in the newsroom
This is a written essay for my Computer-Assisted Reporting subject in Taylor's College.
Discuss the application of Internet research in the newsroom.
Discuss the application of Internet research in the newsroom.
By Max Koh
Intro
It is said that Internet has revolutionised journalism in many ways. The advent of the Internet has not only changed what is reported and how it is reported, it is also a virtually endless source of information for reporters to research and gather information. The Internet has also become a far-reaching communication medium that presents all kinds of content in a myriad of formats (Reddick & King, 2001) to its audiences. The reality, said Hatchen and Scotton (2007), is that through today’s interconnected and globalised world, people everywhere easily learn about and are affected by news.
As news finds new ways to be disseminated, the Internet has also changed the news-gathering process for journalists. The vastness of information made available and the myriad of new tools has changed the way journalists work and given rise to new practices such as ‘contextualise journalism’, which facilitates the use and application of multimedia, interactivity, hypertext, and customisation (Pavlik, 2001) and the emerging role of the ‘multimedia journalist’ (Reddick and King, 2001). At the heart, however, lies the term ‘computer-assisted reporting’ (CAR) which Garrison (1998) explains, encompasses anything that uses computers to aid the news-gathering process.
This paper seeks to discuss the role of the Internet as an information resource for journalists. We will discuss the role of databases and other sources of information on the Internet and how they have changed the practice of journalists in newsrooms. We will also look at emerging trends on the Internet that is shaping newsroom practices, as well as ethical and legal implications associated with Internet as an information resource for journalists.
As news finds new ways to be disseminated, the Internet has also changed the news-gathering process for journalists. The vastness of information made available and the myriad of new tools has changed the way journalists work and given rise to new practices such as ‘contextualise journalism’, which facilitates the use and application of multimedia, interactivity, hypertext, and customisation (Pavlik, 2001) and the emerging role of the ‘multimedia journalist’ (Reddick and King, 2001). At the heart, however, lies the term ‘computer-assisted reporting’ (CAR) which Garrison (1998) explains, encompasses anything that uses computers to aid the news-gathering process.
This paper seeks to discuss the role of the Internet as an information resource for journalists. We will discuss the role of databases and other sources of information on the Internet and how they have changed the practice of journalists in newsrooms. We will also look at emerging trends on the Internet that is shaping newsroom practices, as well as ethical and legal implications associated with Internet as an information resource for journalists.
Internet improves dissemination of news
Twenty years ago, the research tools available for journalists were only the library archives, or communicating with sources via phone, fax, or talking in person. Today, journalists have access to online archives, research papers, government websites, forums made available on the Internet. Internet applications such as Facebook, Twitter, Google, and blogs also changed the way how journalists obtain facts and views. Simply put, the Internet has opened up many new channels and possibilities for journalists to gather information. Newsroom culture today is vastly different compared to twenty years ago.
Allan (2005) argues that the Internet has improved news dissemination in terms of immediacy, depth and interactivity. The ability for journalists to deliver news as such is also much owed to the way how journalists have access to a plethora of information on the Internet which allows reporting with depth, immediacy and better interactivity. Allan asserts that the Oklahoma bombing in 1995 was a landmark moment for journalistic Internet research. Within moments a bomb was detonated in front of the Alfred P. Murrah Building, killing 168 people, including 19 children- Internet news sites posted breaking news online. This was especially important as the Internet was still in its infancy then. Discussion forums, eyewitness accounts, and information detailing the event appeared on various sites.
Journalists and news sites such as Oklahoma City Daily and New York Times were able to quickly gather these information; detailed eye-witness accounts, types of bombs used in terrorist attacks, locator map, the latest story from Associated Press (AP), views from experts and put them up on their websites. This particular episode has demonstrated how the Internet has paved the way for journalists to gather information at a faster immediacy and with depth not possible with traditional media. Oakes (1995) observed that journalists were now able to access to information in form of raw news, opinions, and condolences not seen before the Internet. This event presages what the future of online will be, he acutely asserts.
In the coming months, the reliability of information made online increasingly became a matter of dispute, especially pertaining to the circumstances surrounding the 747 Boeing plane crash. On 17 June 1996, the airliner was en route from New York to Berlin when it plunged into the Atlantic Ocean. Rumours of conspiracy theories and terrorist attacks began to circulate the Internet as journalists scramble to gather and post news on the Internet. While these information turned out to be nothing more than rumours, practitioners have observed that ‘there is an immediate acceptance of information on the Internet’ (Canon, 1997). In order to sift through the fact from fiction, journalistic principles such truth, balance, and accuracy are still key foundations. Newsday journalist Ford Fessenden (cited in Campbell 1997) said that the newspaper’s coverage ‘owes a great debt to the technology of CAR where hourly consultation of the Internet and daily querying of safety databases become routine’.
Emerging form of contextualised journalism
As the Internet opens up new channels for information gathering, the role as gatekeepers becomes an increasingly challenging one for journalists. As myriad of information and views are made available on the Internet, it is important that journalists place stories into their proper contexts. Pavlik (2001) describes the emerging form of contextualised journalism, which produces multi-dimensional news; more engaging reporting and complete stories. The multimedia journalist of the twenty-first century then will have to become more skilful storyteller and act as a guide in linking news with a wider set of contextualising events and circumstances (Franklin et al, 2005). The convergence of different digital platforms makes it necessary for journalists to master the different set skills of gathering and disseminating news. Now, journalists not only have to edit the various sources from its various formats, but translate and contextualise them into different formats for dissemination.
There are different kinds of sources available to journalists on the Internet. As the web matures, journalists are becoming more proficient as multimedia journalist in contextualising and separating the fact from fiction; the newsworthy from the irrelevant. In addition to the non-digital resources available (cuttings, archival materials), offline digital resources (CD-Rom, DVD-Rom etc), there is a plethora of sources on the Internet such as databases, blogs, archives, forums etc. However, with great resources comes great responsibility. And the change of journalistic practices.
Greater accuracy and accountability
Alysen et al (2003) observes that the Internet necessitates journalists to be more accountable for their news report. As members of the public have access to the same resources, they can compare news report to the original sources. Therefore, it is imperative that journalists do not misinterpret information or take it out of context. Web deadlines have also become more fluid, compared to reporting for traditional media. Pressure is added to the multimedia journalists who now have earlier deadlines and must also repackage them for different mediums and audiences. The Internet demands for more accurate reports as their stories allow scrutiny by worldwide audiences online.
The rise of citizen journalism
The Internet has also seen an emerging form of citizen journalism. Where once journalistic institutions are seen as the sole authoritative source of news, an increasing number of people are turning to alternative sources such as blogs (Rocky’s Bru, Screenshots) and alternative news sites (Drudge Report, OhMyNews). While some has perceived this as a threat to traditional journalism, Lasica (2003) observes that blogs and organisational journalism work together to produce higher standards of journalism that will benefit audiences and promotes the democratisation of society. Ordinary people can be journalists, thus giving rise the term ‘citizen journalists’. Lasica observes a new form of participatory journalism, as ‘individuals play an active role in the process of collecting, reporting, sorting, analysing and dissemination news and information- a task once reserved almost exclusively to the news media’.
Greater interaction between journalists and citizens
Websites such as OhMyNews allows intense online interaction allows journalists and citizens to work together to provide a more concise and comprehensive reporting (Min, 2005). The new interactivity between readers and news institution through the Internet is exemplified by BBC News during the London 7/7 bombing. Within hours when terrorist bombs exploded on London subways and a bus, BBC received more than 1,000 photographs, 20 amateur videos, 4,000 text messages and 20,000 e-mails (Sambrook, 2005). BBC incorporated images and the different experiences of citizens into their stories. Sambrook further asserts that the new relationship has not only changed how journalists work, but further emphasises the journalist’s role to add value, analysis, context, background and range to the news stories.
New info-gathering tools
This is an exciting times for journalism. As the Internet continues to evolve, so is the news-gathering process for journalists. The Internet offers many tools to help journalists to gather information. Apart from e-mails, forums, and chat rooms, journalists now can obtain information and views through Web 2.0 applications such as Twitter, Facebook, Youtube, wikis, blogs and also Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) (Beckett, 2008). Technologies now allow journalists to work from anywhere in the world, negating even the needs of entering the newsroom. Nevertheless, journalists should operate within the ethical and legal framework as credibility is demanded in this age of information proliferation.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it is imperative that journalists continue to uphold the standards of journalistic principles and values in gathering and disseminate news. While the Internet has changed how journalists work (and thus giving rise to new terms such as multimedia journalist, contextualised journalism, citizen journalism etc) and opened new ways to gather news, the role and ideals of journalism remain the same. More than before, journalists must be increasingly accountable, accurate, and multi-skilled in serving the public’s interests.
(1531 words)
References
Allan, S 2005, ‘Chapter 5: News on the Web,’ Journalism: critical issues, OUP, England, p.67-84.
Alysen, B Sedorkin, G Oakham, M & Patching, R 2003, Reporting in a multimedia world, Allen & Unwin, Sydney.
Beckett, C 2008, ‘Supermedia: the future as networked journalism’, openDemocracy, viewed on 1 April 2009, <>.
Campbell, D 1997, ‘Untapped Sources’, Guardian, 10 July.
Franklin, B, Hamer, M, Hanna, M, Kinsey, M, Richardson, JE 2005, Key Concepts in Journalism, SAGE, London.
Garrison, B 1998, Computer-assisted reporting, 2nd ed. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, New Jersey.
Hatchen, A & Scotton, JF 2007, The world news prism, Blackwell Publishing, Victoria.
Min, JK 2005, ‘Journalism as a Conversation’, Niemen Reports, vol. 59, no.4, pp.17-19, viewed on 1 April 2009, <>.
Pavlik, JV 2001, Journalism and new media, University Press, New York.
Reddick, R & King, E 2001, The online journalist: Using the Internet and other electronic Sources, 3rd ed, Harcount Brace and Company, Florida.
Sambrook, R 2005, ‘Citizen Journalism and the BBC’, Niemen Reports, vol. 59, no.4, pp.13-16, viewed on 1 April 2009,.
In conclusion, it is imperative that journalists continue to uphold the standards of journalistic principles and values in gathering and disseminate news. While the Internet has changed how journalists work (and thus giving rise to new terms such as multimedia journalist, contextualised journalism, citizen journalism etc) and opened new ways to gather news, the role and ideals of journalism remain the same. More than before, journalists must be increasingly accountable, accurate, and multi-skilled in serving the public’s interests.
(1531 words)
References
Allan, S 2005, ‘Chapter 5: News on the Web,’ Journalism: critical issues, OUP, England, p.67-84.
Alysen, B Sedorkin, G Oakham, M & Patching, R 2003, Reporting in a multimedia world, Allen & Unwin, Sydney.
Beckett, C 2008, ‘Supermedia: the future as networked journalism’, openDemocracy, viewed on 1 April 2009, <>.
Campbell, D 1997, ‘Untapped Sources’, Guardian, 10 July.
Franklin, B, Hamer, M, Hanna, M, Kinsey, M, Richardson, JE 2005, Key Concepts in Journalism, SAGE, London.
Garrison, B 1998, Computer-assisted reporting, 2nd ed. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, New Jersey.
Hatchen, A & Scotton, JF 2007, The world news prism, Blackwell Publishing, Victoria.
Min, JK 2005, ‘Journalism as a Conversation’, Niemen Reports, vol. 59, no.4, pp.17-19, viewed on 1 April 2009, <>.
Pavlik, JV 2001, Journalism and new media, University Press, New York.
Reddick, R & King, E 2001, The online journalist: Using the Internet and other electronic Sources, 3rd ed, Harcount Brace and Company, Florida.
Sambrook, R 2005, ‘Citizen Journalism and the BBC’, Niemen Reports, vol. 59, no.4, pp.13-16, viewed on 1 April 2009,
Feature: Twitter and Malaysian Politics
TWITTER AND MALAYSIAN POLITICS
By Max Koh
Politicians were twittering on the side as MP Nizar was kicked out of Dewan Rakyat minutes after his swearing-in.
Last Monday’s Parliament proceedings saw history in the making when MP Nizar Jamaluddin was ordered out of the hall just minutes after taking his oath as the new Bukit Gantang MP.
The former Perak Menteri Besar was kicked out as he violated the House’s dress code for donning a black headband with the words “Bubarkan DUN (Dissolve the state assembly)” and shouting “Hidup rakyat, bubar dewan! (Long live the people, dissolve the state assembly).
Several Pakatan Rakyat MPs followed suit by putting similar head and arm bands and were ordered out too.
At the same time, another history was being made on the side: opposition MP Lim Kit Siang was busy tweeting on his mobile as the events played out. Prior to that, he asked a few to join him too.
Anyone with a mobile phone and following Kit Siang’s Twitter would have known events in the Dewan Rakyat as they unfolded.
10.11am: pandemonium in hse nizar ordered out of house by speaker
10.12am: 2 other pr mps ordered out of house
10.16am: speaker orders pas mp out 4 wearing headband "bubar dun"
In response, Khairy Jamaluddin would give his own version of events from his Blackberry:
10.18: Opposition MPs defy speaker by insisting on wearing "Bubar DUN" headbands. Speaker warns but ignored, several opp MPs asked to leave.
10.19: Childish, unproductive and a mockery of Parliament.
10.21: Everything started when Nizar ex-MB started shouting "Hidup, hidup" after being sworn in. Grandstanding for the TV cameras. Sigh. Poser.
Pakatan Rakyat’s Jeff Ooi and Tony Pua joined the fray . For the first time, Twitter made its debut in Dewan Rakyat- another addition to the arsenal of media tools politicians are using to reach out of the august hall.
Malaysian politicians are known for their usage of new media tools such as
blogs, Facebook, website. It appears that Twitter is poised to take political ring by storm in the near future.
Politweets and the Rakyat
Twitter is a social network tool where users can broadcast messages to his friends within 140 characters.
The messages are updated and sent to other users – known as followers – who received the tweets via the Twitter website, short messaging messages (SMS) and other external applications.
Twitter is also a conversational tool as it allows users to response to tweets.
Some of the local politicians have been using Twitter to directly reach out to their electorates, making the conversation appear personal and direct.
Among some of the actively tweeting politicians are Khairy Jamaluddin, Jeff Ooi, Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah and Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak.
These updates often appear as their personal thoughts on current events in addition to entries of their daily activities and whereabouts.
Occasionally, they would address personal questions from electorates, akin to responding to a comment on their blog.
Take Khairy’s reply for an example: “Some are good. Some are downright dubious” to Yoon Kit’s question: “Will our Ministries ever be headed by people based on qualification instead of affiliation? Or at least some rudimentary knowledge?”
How is Twitter going to change Malaysian politics?
First, Twitter makes it so much easier for politicians to send out information as they happen. As politicians can tweet from anywhere with just their mobile phones, they could give first-hand accounts of Dewan Rakyat proceedings or public events.
Of course, it would appear that politicians would become journalists themselves by bypassing the journalists to provide first-hand accounts as they happen.
Secondly, because Twitter functions in real-time, politicians can directly answer to immediate questions posed by their followers.
Imagine, if you can pose a question directly to an MP during a debate in Dewan Rakyat?
While the Twittering phenomenon has yet to take the local political arena by storm, there is a surge of users subscribing to the service in Malaysia.
New media entrepreneur Josh Lim found that there are about 120,000 users tagged under Malaysia.
This is a stark increase from 3,000 users as stated by Bruno Peeters (of Twitterfacts.com) in December 2008.
While there are no official statistics, what is certain is that tens of thousands of Malaysians are currently twittering as assumed by The Star reporter Niki Cheong.
During the March 8 elections, thousands of Malaysians logged on to websites such as Malaysiakini in order the get the latest updates on the results.
Imagine the next elections as Malaysians log unto Twitter and its search engine to find out the latest results.
Breaking news couldn’t be any faster unless you were there in the ballot room itself.
Malaysian politicians are known for their adaptation of new media tools in order to reach out to the nation in projecting their thoughts and rallying their support- first through blogs, Facebook and now Twitter.
Kit Siang has about 1,200 followers, Khairy has 930 followers while Prime Minister has about 1,900 followers. Expect to see more politicians signing up for Twitter in the near future.
***
SIDEBAR: GOOD TWEETS, BAD TWEETS
While anyone can simply open up a Twitter account and start tweeting, there is a distinct difference between a good and bad tweeters.
There is a reason why Ashton Kutcher can amass up to 2 million followers while the regular Muthu may have only a couple of followers consisting of family members, friends and colleagues.
Obama became of the first prominent politician to harness the power of social media to become the 44th President of United States.
Part of his success was to engage young voters through his use of social media tools such as MySpace, Youtube and Twitter.
During the presidential campaign, Obama would tweet from his Blackberry to inform his followers about his activities and get support for his rallies.
His tweets would often include links to his website which contains live videos of his rallies or speeches.
Obama’s Twitter page works because he directly engages the followers and invites them to have a personal engagement in the campaign. Today, Obama has about 1.5 million followers where he continues to lobby support for his policies and gather feedbacks and questions.
What Twitter has done is to provide the channel for the layman to directly (or under the impression) voice their ideas and concerns to their president.
Some of Obama’s tweets are:
2:37 PM Jun 10th : Check out the #OFA Health Care Action Center - call Congress, display your support, submit a question and more http://bit.ly/fAu60
8:27 AM Jun 4th : “I've come here to Cairo to seek a new beginning between the United States and Muslims” – watch the President’s speech: http://bit.ly/3lWLt
11:42 AM May 28th : Join Organizing for America to fight for real health care reform. Host or attend a Health Care Organizing Kickoff: http://bit.ly/cSMlF#OFA
Obama’s tweets work as they direct his supporters to directly contribute to his policy-making and reforms. Compare this to our very own Prime Minister Najib Razak’s tweets:
4:21 AM Jun 16th : 8.30pm – Felda Dinner function, Dewan Perdana FELDA, Kuala Lumpur
10:48 PM Jun 15th : 3pm - Meetings
6:39 PM Jun 14th : 15/06/09 : 10.30am - Proposed answering of questions at Parliament
Perhaps Najib can learn a few things from his American counterpart about the importance of value-added tweets in opposed as just using it as on online diary of his daily activities.
A good tweeter gives value to his followers.
By Max Koh
Politicians were twittering on the side as MP Nizar was kicked out of Dewan Rakyat minutes after his swearing-in.
On Monday, Twitter made its debut in Dewan Rakyat as four MPs update the world about the Bubar DUN commotion as it happened. MAX KOH writes
Last Monday’s Parliament proceedings saw history in the making when MP Nizar Jamaluddin was ordered out of the hall just minutes after taking his oath as the new Bukit Gantang MP.
The former Perak Menteri Besar was kicked out as he violated the House’s dress code for donning a black headband with the words “Bubarkan DUN (Dissolve the state assembly)” and shouting “Hidup rakyat, bubar dewan! (Long live the people, dissolve the state assembly).
Several Pakatan Rakyat MPs followed suit by putting similar head and arm bands and were ordered out too.
At the same time, another history was being made on the side: opposition MP Lim Kit Siang was busy tweeting on his mobile as the events played out. Prior to that, he asked a few to join him too.
Anyone with a mobile phone and following Kit Siang’s Twitter would have known events in the Dewan Rakyat as they unfolded.
10.11am: pandemonium in hse nizar ordered out of house by speaker
10.12am: 2 other pr mps ordered out of house
10.16am: speaker orders pas mp out 4 wearing headband "bubar dun"
In response, Khairy Jamaluddin would give his own version of events from his Blackberry:
10.18: Opposition MPs defy speaker by insisting on wearing "Bubar DUN" headbands. Speaker warns but ignored, several opp MPs asked to leave.
10.19: Childish, unproductive and a mockery of Parliament.
10.21: Everything started when Nizar ex-MB started shouting "Hidup, hidup" after being sworn in. Grandstanding for the TV cameras. Sigh. Poser.
Pakatan Rakyat’s Jeff Ooi and Tony Pua joined the fray . For the first time, Twitter made its debut in Dewan Rakyat- another addition to the arsenal of media tools politicians are using to reach out of the august hall.
Malaysian politicians are known for their usage of new media tools such as
blogs, Facebook, website. It appears that Twitter is poised to take political ring by storm in the near future.
Politweets and the Rakyat
Twitter is a social network tool where users can broadcast messages to his friends within 140 characters.
The messages are updated and sent to other users – known as followers – who received the tweets via the Twitter website, short messaging messages (SMS) and other external applications.
Twitter is also a conversational tool as it allows users to response to tweets.
Some of the local politicians have been using Twitter to directly reach out to their electorates, making the conversation appear personal and direct.
Among some of the actively tweeting politicians are Khairy Jamaluddin, Jeff Ooi, Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah and Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak.
These updates often appear as their personal thoughts on current events in addition to entries of their daily activities and whereabouts.
Occasionally, they would address personal questions from electorates, akin to responding to a comment on their blog.
Take Khairy’s reply for an example: “Some are good. Some are downright dubious” to Yoon Kit’s question: “Will our Ministries ever be headed by people based on qualification instead of affiliation? Or at least some rudimentary knowledge?”
How is Twitter going to change Malaysian politics?
First, Twitter makes it so much easier for politicians to send out information as they happen. As politicians can tweet from anywhere with just their mobile phones, they could give first-hand accounts of Dewan Rakyat proceedings or public events.
Of course, it would appear that politicians would become journalists themselves by bypassing the journalists to provide first-hand accounts as they happen.
Secondly, because Twitter functions in real-time, politicians can directly answer to immediate questions posed by their followers.
Imagine, if you can pose a question directly to an MP during a debate in Dewan Rakyat?
While the Twittering phenomenon has yet to take the local political arena by storm, there is a surge of users subscribing to the service in Malaysia.
New media entrepreneur Josh Lim found that there are about 120,000 users tagged under Malaysia.
This is a stark increase from 3,000 users as stated by Bruno Peeters (of Twitterfacts.com) in December 2008.
While there are no official statistics, what is certain is that tens of thousands of Malaysians are currently twittering as assumed by The Star reporter Niki Cheong.
During the March 8 elections, thousands of Malaysians logged on to websites such as Malaysiakini in order the get the latest updates on the results.
Imagine the next elections as Malaysians log unto Twitter and its search engine to find out the latest results.
Breaking news couldn’t be any faster unless you were there in the ballot room itself.
Malaysian politicians are known for their adaptation of new media tools in order to reach out to the nation in projecting their thoughts and rallying their support- first through blogs, Facebook and now Twitter.
Kit Siang has about 1,200 followers, Khairy has 930 followers while Prime Minister has about 1,900 followers. Expect to see more politicians signing up for Twitter in the near future.
***
SIDEBAR: GOOD TWEETS, BAD TWEETS
While anyone can simply open up a Twitter account and start tweeting, there is a distinct difference between a good and bad tweeters.
There is a reason why Ashton Kutcher can amass up to 2 million followers while the regular Muthu may have only a couple of followers consisting of family members, friends and colleagues.
Obama became of the first prominent politician to harness the power of social media to become the 44th President of United States.
Part of his success was to engage young voters through his use of social media tools such as MySpace, Youtube and Twitter.
During the presidential campaign, Obama would tweet from his Blackberry to inform his followers about his activities and get support for his rallies.
His tweets would often include links to his website which contains live videos of his rallies or speeches.
Obama’s Twitter page works because he directly engages the followers and invites them to have a personal engagement in the campaign. Today, Obama has about 1.5 million followers where he continues to lobby support for his policies and gather feedbacks and questions.
What Twitter has done is to provide the channel for the layman to directly (or under the impression) voice their ideas and concerns to their president.
Some of Obama’s tweets are:
2:37 PM Jun 10th : Check out the #OFA Health Care Action Center - call Congress, display your support, submit a question and more http://bit.ly/fAu60
8:27 AM Jun 4th : “I've come here to Cairo to seek a new beginning between the United States and Muslims” – watch the President’s speech: http://bit.ly/3lWLt
11:42 AM May 28th : Join Organizing for America to fight for real health care reform. Host or attend a Health Care Organizing Kickoff: http://bit.ly/cSMlF#OFA
Obama’s tweets work as they direct his supporters to directly contribute to his policy-making and reforms. Compare this to our very own Prime Minister Najib Razak’s tweets:
4:21 AM Jun 16th : 8.30pm – Felda Dinner function, Dewan Perdana FELDA, Kuala Lumpur
10:48 PM Jun 15th : 3pm - Meetings
6:39 PM Jun 14th : 15/06/09 : 10.30am - Proposed answering of questions at Parliament
Perhaps Najib can learn a few things from his American counterpart about the importance of value-added tweets in opposed as just using it as on online diary of his daily activities.
A good tweeter gives value to his followers.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
0
Editorial: Marry girl, get RM10,000
This is an editorial piece I wrote for my college newspaper but it was rejected because it is deemed to "controversial". So thought I 'd share it here instead.
Marry girl, get RM10,000
By Max Koh
Malaysians are obsessed with 3-in-1. Walk into a supermarket and you'll see shelves lined with so many 3-in-1 instant coffee, tea, teacino and other variations (or bastardizations depending on how you look at it) and you know that we as a nation are obsessed with package deals.
Even choosing your broadband from the various providers jostling for your attention becomes an arduous task with so many offers and additional free gifts thrown in.
Seeing the power of such marketing persuasion, the Kelantan's State government has also come up with a package deal of their own. With some very lucrative prizes I must say. Well, if you're a Muslim missionary or preacher.
New Straits Times recently reported that the state government will continue to pay RM10,000 to Muslim missionaries and preachers who marry an Orang Asli woman to prevent them from leaving the religion.
Not a bad deal isn't it? A new wife, some divine brownie points and RM10,000 richer.
This was recently announced by the state's Islamic Development, Education and Dakwah Committee chairman Datuk Nik Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah in an effort to ensure Muslim Orang Asli are not influenced by missionaries of other faiths.
This incentive payment was introduced three years ago in an effort by the state government to convert the indigenous group to Islam. The incentive included free housing, a monthly allowance of RM1,000 and a four-wheel drive vehicle.
The incentive was offered then because the PAS-led state government was not satisfied with the low numbers of Orang Asli conversions through ad-hoc initiatives under the various state-sponsored movements.
A state official shared that the conversion was "too slow" as only 2000 out of the 13,000 in the State has only converted then.
A State Government’s Orang Asli Dakwah Unit was established then with dedicated personnel tasked specifically to convert Orang Asli.
The fact that there is a specific government body to convert Orang Asli is a form of discrimination against the indigenious group. How can there be a state-run initiative to convert a particular racial group when religion is supposed to be a personal decision between a person and God?
The policy is borne out of arrogance and complete disregard of the human rights of these people.
The policy drew flak from both the Muslim and non-Muslim communities then. Colin Nicholas, director of the Centre for Orang Asli Concerns, said that the policy discriminates against the indigenious group and shows a great lack of respect for their culture and religion.
Dr. Denison Jayasooria, a commissioner with the Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) said: "The utilization of state resources as a motivation for preachers to convert Orang Asli is an abuse of power and violation of the basic right, especially the freedom of thought, conscience and religion by monetary inducement."
He added that such reward to entice vulnerable and marginalised women is "unethical and unacceptable even from any religious perspectives."
I don't know about you, but mustn't a conversion to a different religion be borne out of sincere belief in that faith and God? Somehow, I find the dangling of such lucrative carrots can cast serious doubt to the sincerity of such conversions.
And there is also the danger of a Muslim man marrying an Orang Asli woman just to get these awards at the expense of these women. What's to stop them from divorcing another to marry another, or taking up a second and third wife?
My recent visit to an Orang Asli village on Carey Island proved my point. The ketua kampung was complaining to the government official that the three converted families continue to live their old lives as though they have not embraced the Islamic faith. They don't pray five times daily and continue to eat food that is non-halal. What is conversion without true understanding and love?
I believe Islam is a beautiful faith. But religion is not a commodity. You cannot package religion and offer it like you would offer a 3-in-1 broadband package deal. Let someone convert out of a true and sincere heart, not because of the goodies offered.
As Muslim blogger Art Harun wrote: "If these Orang Asli women have no faith in Islam, it matters not whether they are married to a Muslim or otherwise. Deep down in their heart, they might not have the faith anyway."
I think they have to stop dangling carrots in the name of religion, no matter what the intentions may be.
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