Since the so-called explosive revelations on the issue of the Penang chief minister’s house purchase, I had been following the developments very keenly every night on Buletin Utama TV3.

I must say that the TV3 newscasters have been very passionate in their reporting on this issue, as I, every night, could literally sense the enthusiasm oozing from the TV screen.

It was so enthusiastic that at some parts in their reporting, I could swear that they were trying to convince me of someone’s guilt. But I’m pretty sure that TV3 would not resort to such low-life reporting. It must have been my imagination.

From flowcharts (drawn up by whom, no one knows) to interviews with relevant people who have personal knowledge on the matter (I think they forgot to interview the kuey teow seller near my house, what a waste), the 10 to 15 minutes segment every night was so full of information and facts and figures that the newscasters themselves must have believed them to have been true, looking at the way they were reporting it.

Needless to say, the entire saga came to a halt today thanks to the Attorney-General’s Chambers.

How I am going to miss the theatrical approach to news reporting . Perhaps the newcasters should consider switching profession. Maybe some writing on the art of persuasion, the do’s and don’ts .

Who knows, perhaps in the not so distant future there may be other news that would require such zeal in its reporting, but until then, well done, TV3 on a performance worthy of an award.

PUTHAN PERUMAL is an advocate and solicitor of the High Court of Malaya.