Offer of a 10-minute censored airtime a joke
Recently, the minister of information, communications and culture Datuk Rais Yatim announced that the BN government-owned Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) would offer a 10-minute of pre-recorded airtime for the Opposition parties to present their electoral manifesto to the public during the general elections campaigning period.
First of all, what a 10-minute airtime could do? Is this total airtime sufficient for each of the political parties to present their electoral manifesto? Yes, we knew BN component parties was also offered the same duration of the airtime, but it is already sufficient for them as they have been campaigning through all the available RTM channels all this while.
Furthermore, such offer made by the minister does not conform to the freedom of media and press like what our people has been demanding since.
We really wonder what is actual motive or intention behind the BN government in offering such a short piece of airtime which is also going to be pre-recorded and censored. By looking at the situation of the offer, are these call freedom of media or press, are there any freedom of expression, where is the media independence in this case?
Worst still, there will be also a panel to supervise the presentation of each of the political parties which will be headed by the ministry's secretary-general. Rais said there will be no censoring, but with such panel to monitor and supervise the situation, then the whole episode would definitely be censored. There's no escape because the panel is there to oversee the entire process. So, is this call freedom of media and expression?
Actually, the BN government has been insincere when they came up with this offer. They merely wanted to show the international community that this BN government has made the offer and the Oppositions had rejected it.Almost everyday and night, the BN is targeting the Oppositions in all channels and they are just giving a 10-minute airtime, censored airtime.
Anyway, we believe that the Opposition parties does not really need the BN government broadcasting channels in the mainstream media (MSM) when coming to releasing their manifesto to the public. These papers can also be viewed from any online system anytime or anywhere we want to.
So, BN leaders, do not fools us with such unacceptable offer of yours. You have been dishonest when making such an offer. The people are not fools and we cannot be fooled anymore.
First of all, what a 10-minute airtime could do? Is this total airtime sufficient for each of the political parties to present their electoral manifesto? Yes, we knew BN component parties was also offered the same duration of the airtime, but it is already sufficient for them as they have been campaigning through all the available RTM channels all this while.
Furthermore, such offer made by the minister does not conform to the freedom of media and press like what our people has been demanding since.
We really wonder what is actual motive or intention behind the BN government in offering such a short piece of airtime which is also going to be pre-recorded and censored. By looking at the situation of the offer, are these call freedom of media or press, are there any freedom of expression, where is the media independence in this case?
Worst still, there will be also a panel to supervise the presentation of each of the political parties which will be headed by the ministry's secretary-general. Rais said there will be no censoring, but with such panel to monitor and supervise the situation, then the whole episode would definitely be censored. There's no escape because the panel is there to oversee the entire process. So, is this call freedom of media and expression?
Actually, the BN government has been insincere when they came up with this offer. They merely wanted to show the international community that this BN government has made the offer and the Oppositions had rejected it.Almost everyday and night, the BN is targeting the Oppositions in all channels and they are just giving a 10-minute airtime, censored airtime.
Anyway, we believe that the Opposition parties does not really need the BN government broadcasting channels in the mainstream media (MSM) when coming to releasing their manifesto to the public. These papers can also be viewed from any online system anytime or anywhere we want to.
So, BN leaders, do not fools us with such unacceptable offer of yours. You have been dishonest when making such an offer. The people are not fools and we cannot be fooled anymore.
