‘Po Kuan Cries Off"; ‘Fong drops a bomb’ screamed the headlines of the two major newspapers in the country yesterday. Most readers would have wondered what earth-shattering event had taken place to warrant such eye-catching coverage.

Reading further beyond the headlines, the front-page ‘hot news’ event turned out to be the decision by the Batu Gajah parliamentary representative not to contest in the coming elections. A similar decision by a BN candidate at most would at most have resulted in a few lines buried in the middle pages of the same papers. Fong’s pulling out was interesting news but hardly warranting the sensationalistic coverage.

So what was the angle the newspapers? The main message is of the main opposition party in disarray and therefore unworthy of the trust and confidence of voters. This was a dagger aimed directly at the electorate. It also had a subtle sub-plot of creating confusion and division within the party and its supporters.

Unfortunately for the spin doctors manipulating this story, this attempt at brainwashing is not working. As the human interest aspect of the story unfolds, the public will increasingly recognise the tremendous personal sacrifices that opposition party representatives – especially women - have to make when they stand up in the interests of the public and the many difficulties they encounter in serving the cause of democracy. This particular attempt at news spinning deserves to backfire badly.

In the coming days, we can expect from the mainstream newspapers and the government’s radio and television networks a steady stream of negative reporting against all opposition parties. Exaggeration, propaganda and misinformation about the ‘goodness’ of the Barisan Nasional government alone are not regarded as sufficient to sway the public to vote against the opposition. Spinning and the distortion of news about the opposition parties must be provided in equal measure - if not at a more frenzied level - to ensure a resounding BN victory.

How does this coverage reflect on journalistic norms and values? One of the most discerning of our journalists in a commentary piece titled ‘Cashing in for the elections’ has written on how spin- doctoring becomes the flavour of the month during the election season and of the material incentives held out for journalists who participate. He wrote:

‘Having covered three elections, I can vouch that if one wants to make an extra buck or even forward one’s personal agenda through political hopefuls, this is the time. The ang pows and brown envelops with wads of cash being handed out to campaign workers, voters, and yes – sadly , some journalists – are regular scenes which, of course, do not make it to the news pages. Those who decline these offerings have the benefit of a good night’s sleep and can write with a clear conscience’..

He ended his column by noting:

‘Well, that’s the game these days. It will be a sad day indeed if voters and those who are supposedly representatives of the Fourth Estate allow instant gratification to distort their view of the bigger picture. Our future is not for barter and the sooner everyone realises that, we will be able to look our children in the eye and tell them we made the right choices for their future’.

Our newspaper editors and colleagues at senior management level are playing a much bigger game and for larger personal stakes that the lowly and middle-level journalists accosted by individual politicians.

I wonder what stories they tell their children to justify the ‘news stories’ they are peddling and hope they can sleep better at night during this period or whenever they ply their ‘trade’.