The Star catches up on Da News!

The news about News Starits Times' dicing with a sidewalk caricaturist caricaturing on an extremely hot caricatured subject nowadays has been raging for 24-48 hours in other media, especially in Blogsworld, but The Star does NOT want to know, neither does it deem it important that its Readers should know. It doesn't concern itself with a brewing hotspot affecting the 4th Estate. Maybe the Group Editor-in-cheap and other senior editors are located at the Advert Department -- counting all the money!?

Belatedly, this morning the ultra-safe, profiteering The Star catches up with Da News, which was debated with all its Sound and Fury at JeffOoi's Screenshots over several parts -- last sighted was this moUrn's:
How dare you English tabloid editors!... ( 4 )

The Star is always good at echo-chambering His Master's Voice on many opublic interest issues, so it's always doing "catch-up" on many national issues. It wants to "play safe" -- only aftyer the PM had "decided" on certain iisues, like ditrecting the AP lists to be made public, that the paper's brave Editors-cum-columnists would beat their chests championing the issues, when others have spoken up eon pages before!

But on Fourth Estate matters, the largest English circulating paper deems it "convenient" to watch on the sidelines, until this moUrning, breaking Da News on page 3 -- Hurray, Sound the drums, blow the trumpets:


NST gets show cause letter over printing of cartoon

KUALA LUMPUR: The New Straits Times (NST) has been issued a show cause letter by the Internal Security Ministry to explain why action should not be taken against the publication for printing a cartoon deemed offensive to Muslims.

Its group chief editor Datuk Hishamuddin Aun confirmed that he and chief executive officer Datuk Syed Faisal Albar were summoned to the ministry, and they went there about 4.30pm yesterday.

It is learnt that they were interviewed by the ministry's secretary-general Datuk Abdul Aziz Yusof, and after the explanation was given, Hishamuddin and Syed Faisal were issued with the show cause letter.

Hishamuddin also confirmed that the newspaper had three days to reply.

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On Monday, the newspaper published cartoonist Willie Miller’s caricature which showed a cartoonist doing a sketch with a poster on his side that carried words which were deemed offensive to Muslims.

The caption to the cartoon read: “Kevin finally achieves his goal to be the most feared man in the world.”

At a press conference at his office in Angkasapuri, Information Minister Datuk Zainuddin Maidin said the Cabinet at its meeting yesterday discussed the NST cartoon and that even non-Muslim ministers had expressed concern over it.

“The action of NST to re-publish a cartoon deemed to belittle the Holy Prophet on page two of its newspaper today is not wise and an uncalled-for provocation,” he said yesterday after chairing a post-Cabinet meeting.

“This was done despite the newspaper knowing fully well that there was anger among the public over its action and that police reports were lodged against the paper over the matter.”

On Wednesday, the NST had reproduced the cartoon with an editorial defending its action.

He said the newspaper, instead of calming the situation, had added fuel to the fire by reproducing the cartoon.

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DESIDERATA will just take the short cut by "reprising" (with slight editing-lah!) his thoughts posted at Screenshots CONversations yesterdae:

"I congratulate the NST for writing in defence of itself and "republishing" the cartyoon.

I appreciate Jeff your stand -- and may I suggest -- the one core issue here has become enmeshed with precedent differences vis-a-vis NST and yourself-plus-Kadir which I won't care to go into.

The core issue here is same or similar to what I contended in respect of Guang Ming's report carrying the photo of a reader looking at a newspaper carrying a picture of one(or more ?) "Prophet Muhammad caricature" in breaking the story (from an AFP account) -- to me it should not have been found gulity of a breach of the PPPA 1984 -- so also this latest NST caricature ...

If we are to hold the Government to the impartial treatment of all media, let's stand firm that Guang Ming did NOT commit an offence (The Government knows it too, but was too proud to admit it -- hence the Chinese daily got away with just a 2-week suspension, also for only ther EVENING edition -- stressed here because up to now, many readers here still think the paper's day edition is also suspended, wrt "whatsoever"(?) in another Conversation). ("whatsoever" was the moniker used by a Conversationist who had asked why he was still able to get the Guang Ming even during the suspension period!)

Jeff: so on this occasion, I'm afraid both you and NST are letting EXTRANEOUS issues to cloud your exchange, which is sad for Journalism and Blogging, 4th and 5th Estates which should be convergent in progressing their closely enmeshed roles, NO?" (ends my views expresssed at Screenshots under CONVERSATIONS at the Post titled:

How dare you English tabloid editors! (3)

GO pay Jeff a visit - Get an education - lah, Free somemore!


Now, let's detour to the:
HORSE's MOUTH where the tongue stick out, and some heads may rock and roll, including a BP, or isit a Shell? Ne'er mind, it's Desi going off tangent once a while, and you no pay RM1.20 to suffer indigestion and non-delivery of news, or delivery of HISTORICAL news, or ...you get my drift, my EsteemedReaders... -- Bear with a Blogger's luxury of Digression! Right, wrong, or Leftist!:(


From the NST online February 23, 2006

NST gets show cause letter over printing of cartoon

KUALA LUMPUR: The New Straits Times (NST) has been issued a show cause letter by the Internal Security Ministry to explain why action should not be taken against the publication for printing a cartoon deemed offensive to Muslims.

Its group chief editor Datuk Hishamuddin Aun confirmed that he and chief executive officer Datuk Syed Faisal Albar were summoned to the ministry, and they went there about 4.30pm yesterday.

It is learnt that they were interviewed by the ministry's secretary-general Datuk Abdul Aziz Yusof, and after the explanation was given, Hishamuddin and Syed Faisal were issued with the show cause letter.

Hishamuddin also confirmed that the newspaper had three days to reply.

Deputy Minister Datuk Mohd Johari Baharum said the editors were called to give their statements following police reports made by PAS and three non-governmental organisations on Tuesday.

“We are investigating the case and will give a complete report to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who is also the Internal Security Minister,” he told newsmen in Jitra after giving out government aid to 92 farmers whose crops were damaged by floods in December.

“The Prime Minister will decide on the action to be taken against the NST.”

On Monday, the newspaper published cartoonist Willie Miller’s caricature which showed a cartoonist doing a sketch with a poster on his side that carried words which were deemed offensive to Muslims.

The caption to the cartoon read: “Kevin finally achieves his goal to be the most feared man in the world.”

At a press conference at his office in Angkasapuri, Information Minister Datuk Zainuddin Maidin said the Cabinet at its meeting yesterday discussed the NST cartoon and that even non-Muslim ministers had expressed concern over it.

“The action of NST to re-publish a cartoon deemed to belittle the Holy Prophet on page two of its newspaper today is not wise and an uncalled-for provocation,” he said yesterday after chairing a post-Cabinet meeting. (Emphasis is mine.)

“This was done despite the newspaper knowing fully well that there was anger among the public over its action and that police reports were lodged against the paper over the matter.”

On Wednesday, the NST had reproduced the cartoon with an editorial defending its action.

He said the newspaper, instead of calming the situation, had added fuel to the fire by reproducing the cartoon.

Zainuddin admitted that different people might interpret the cartoon in different ways, adding, however, that “not everyone could look at it intellectually”.

Recently, the Government suspended Sarawak Tribune for publishing caricatures of the Prophet which had first appeared in a Danish newspaper.

It also took firm action against Guang Ming's afternoon edition for printing a photo of people reading a newspaper with the caricatures.

DESIDERATA:
I had highlighted ZAM's remarks as in the on-going saga, certain parties would be using the opportunity to advance their private agendas. And there has been bad blood between the newly-appointed Minister of Propaganda -- ooops, correction, MINISTER OF INFORMATION, who was reported by the NST just prior to his elevation from Deputy that he had called for the "sacking" of some NST editors!
Let's see whether some leopards would change their spots, or lose one or two!


A basic tenet in Journalism 101 is that in getting the news, a reporter must try to get the story from the HORSE's MOUTH, or from SOURCES CLOSE TO IT IF THE HORSE HAD BOLTED-LAH...and GIVING BOTH OR MORE SIDES of the story.
So going back to when this Caricature-induced saga first impacted the Malaysian media scene, I would go as far as to defend Sarawak Tribune Night Editor for "breaking the story" with some of the "caricatures" (he didn't use all of the 12, did he?) at the core of the subject matter.
The Editor had to decide how far he would advance the news. OtherWISE, how would the readers know what the hoo-ha is all about?
But suspending the whole newspaper indefintely for what Desi'd deem a "slight" infraction" of the PPPA 1984?
Do you reaaly need to Use a hammer to kill a fly?

I had expressed solidarity for the ST journalists and workers,writing a series titled RIP: Sarawak Tribune
BUTT to hell with the bosses!
They welcomed tghe Government's decision of indefinitely suspension. Adding salt to injury, they then avowed the newspaper would NOT RE-PUBLISH even if, and when, the suspension order was lifted!
Join the Malaysian Masochists Mess, anyone?



So in this latest saga of the NST being asked to "show cause", I hope EsteemedReaders are cautious to be able to separate the issues, and discern the "key" players involved, many with their own private agendas. Be careful not to become a "pawn" in this game several "interested" parties -- including Bloggers? -- might be playing.

The NST dilemma, by any stretch of imagination, is NOT in the same league -- in terms of seriousness ("severity" is a better term? ...) in alleged breach - as the Sarawak Tribune's. Not even approaching the level of seriousness as Guang Ming's evening edition. There is such a thing as a Primary reference, Secondary reference, then a Tertiary reference.
But to expect these ninCOMpoops to know the difference, I need to give them a class on Da Bard's English language lessons. Do I want to waste my time?

HOWSY, let me pass Da Buck to thee?
My cut, as usual, is 30 PER CENT.

We would be under-estimating the intelligence of Malaysian readers if they were not to be INFORMED OF WHAT THE ISSUE IS ALL ABOUT. IT is the reporter's duty and role to intelligent suppkly the readers with the base/foundation of the breaking news.

There is an English saying:

DON'T THROW THE BABY OUT WITH THE BATH WATER.

But the Malaysian authorities have been quite outstanding in having some enforcement officers who don't even want to understand what the issue is. They only want to show their AUTHORITY.
There are also some daily NEWSPAPERS who don't want to inform their readers of the news of the day, until the waters are safe to venture into. Then you might as well call yourself a megazine, to make mega bucks is thy name.