Good Editors and f***Up Ones...

A short Post today as I have to run -- like brother Mave SM, "work" comes first because we aren't -- luckily, or unluckily? -- rentseekers.

Comparing frontpage lead news treatment by two English dailies today:

From the profiteering
(oops, should read profit-making!) The Star

Almost fullpage colour icture of smiling couple
Sitinurhaliza plus her Datuk Khalid

'We are fated for each other'

See (more) reports in pages 6, 8 and 10.
(Second lead is on
Woman in nude squat video
seeks RM10mil compensation)


From the Sun,

Book seditious
Nazri: UPM TEXT
ON ETHNIC TIES
INSENSITIVE

(Second lead carrioes pic plus story on
Siti sets weding date)


You -- my EsteemedReaders -- tell me which is the more importamnt story for the day.
Siti Nurhaliza's impending wedding -- has been speculated already for weeks! -- or a national issue that a Minister talks seriously about that will impact future leaders and thousands of youths soon-to-be working citizens of NegaraKu?

You will guess Desi's choice of course, as a trained journalist -- old school? --
and I reprise the importrant news of the day in substatntial portion:

KUALA LUMPUR: The book on ethnic relations
being taught at Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) is seditious,
said Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri
Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz.

"This is seditious. We already do not need such things to be
taught to our students. It is very insensitive of those who
published tyhe book," he said, after perusing an extract
of the book at Parliament lobby yesterday.

He advised those who are unhappy with the book's contents
to lodge a police reeport so that the matter can be
investigated. "We can take it from there," said Nazri,
whose portfolio covers law.

He suggested the Higher Education Ministry re-look the
contents of the book, which have drawn objections from
some quarters incl;uding the DAP, as it does not benefit
anyone.

Nazri said that the book, which was prepared in just
three weeks, should be renamed "Ethnic Dis-relations"
as it will only cause tension within various communities.
:
:
:
Desiderata stops here for a break (not -fast as some days
this scribe has to go without a bite!). I will re-visit
this topic after lunch, hopefully read the Canteen's NST copy
to see how it treated Frontpage news today. Maybe you guys
shaking legs, or hands, can input via Comments?

Just before passing out, I congratulate the Minister, whom I had
derided a bit relating to the Mahathir-Pak Lah's FACE-OFF
for his sense of humour, in suggesting the book be renamed
"Ethnic Dis-relations" or isit "insiduous satire"?
For this line of sarcasm, brother Mave can provide a wry answer.
I owe him ONE.

Meanwhile, I'm also dropping by the Malaysian GuinNURSE Book Of Rekods
to include said book as the fastest book to be produced, also fastest-selling
best seller2! Talk aboyut killing three biords with one rock?

UPDATE after tea @4.15PM:

I managed to browse through a canteen copy of The NST during tea-break; yes, tehtarik plus kuih-muih less sugar nowadays (makcik says she is restricted to buyinmg ONE kg per trip to supermarket). To its credit, NST ran the Nazri's item as frontpage lead. Since I could C&P from its online edition, here goes, the issue merits your education!


Dis-integration
Book used to teach racial unity described as seditious
18 Jul 2006
V. Vasudevan, Azura Abas and Minderjeet Kaur
(Desi's ckicky aside, not on Siti N: 3 reporters assigned, so I guess it's pretty&important!)


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
KUALA LUMPUR: A noble approach in tackling racial polarisation in universities has backfired. It has even prompted a harsh reaction from Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz. He described as seditious the contents of the textbook which students have to study in the newly-introduced Ethnic Relations course.

Debate on the issue was heated in the Dewan Rakyat yesterday and Nazri, the de facto Law Minister, even suggested that anyone unhappy with the contents could lodge a police report.

"The police can then investigate the contents of the book. We can take it from there," he said at the Parliament lobby.

Higher Education Minister Datuk Mustapa Mohamed, who spoke in the House earlier, said the Government was prepared to make amendments if there were factual mistakes in the book.

However, he said the contents were based on facts.

The Ethnic Relations textbook has been in use by Universiti Putra Malaysia since early this year. The authors are Jayum Anak Jawan and Zaid Ahmad.

Among the contentious parts are:

• Condemning as "extremist" the 1999 Election Appeal of the Malaysian Chinese Election Appeals Committee (Suqiu), which was endorsed in principle by the Barisan Nasional parties;

• Blaming Indian youths for the 2001 Kampung Medan incident; and,

• Blaming the DAP for the May 13, 1969 riots. Both are on page 78 of the book.

Nazri felt the whole approach to fostering better ethic relations as promoted by the book was flawed.

"We should be stressing the positives of various ethnic groups. Why talk about the past? Blaming anyone for the past is not going to do any good today. Let us talk about the good."

Loh Seng Kok (BN-Kelana Jaya) said the book was a classic case of inciting hatred among the races in Malaysia.

"At first look, a reader is taken through historical events, which is supposed to educate and promote ethnic relations for the good of the country.

"But, what do we have here? Historical facts that are being distorted. One race is being made a scapegoat," he said of the contents of the book.

Datuk Dr Madius Tangau (BN-Tuaran) said emphasis should be on understanding other ethnic groups.

"For far too long we have been teaching how to be tolerant. We should understand the mindset of one another, not try to apportion blame on anyone for bad events in history."

Mustapa’s statement was in reply to Opposition leader Lim Kit Siang’s question expressing concern that the Ethnic Relations course could do more harm than good.

"Historical facts cannot be altered like the May 13 racial unrest, Kampung Medan incident and Dong Jiao Zong. All these have taken place and we cannot question them. If we look back, there are certain claims made by Suqiu which are against the provisions under the Federal Constitution."

Mustapa told the House that the Government stood by its stand that incidents listed in the textbooks were correct.

Lim said in a statement later that Mustapa had given "a most unsatisfactory answer" to his supplementary question in Parliament yesterday. He argued that the course was biased, tendentious and divisive.

Ethnic Relations is a mandatory subject for university students beginning from this year’s academic session.

DESIDERATA: I welcome your comments, dear Readers, converse with each other too, as this host is pretty tied/tired up with work, will just do hit&run interrupted asides, as broadsides or this&that sides, never mind, as long as we are one happy multi-racial family in cyber-space.