While I share some of Syed Azni's observations on the recent racist speeches at the Umno general assembly, I certainly do not agree with his conclusion. Why should the TV cameras be banned from covering the event?

That is like saying the US media should not have aired to the now infamous video clip of white policemen beating Rodney King in LA several years ago, because it would lead to a deterioration in race relations. It was not the airing of the video clip that caused the race riots that followed, it was the unjustified use of force by the policemen concerned on a member of a marginalised section of society.

By the same token, it is not the live telecast of the Umno assembly that have caused consternation among fair-minded Malaysians, but the speeches itself. Why ban live telecasts if you are not going to ban seditious speeches? That's like shooting the messenger because you don't like the message.

In fact, I would argue that keeping live telecasts would force the top Umno leadership (still seen as dragging its feet) to take a clear stand in that such behaviour is not acceptable in our plural society.

How can the big brother (Umno) expect its little siblings (MCA, Gerakan, MIC and other BN component parties) to behave when it is setting such a bad example for the others to follow ?

Keep the live telecasts, ban seditious speeches instead.