Your report Zam: No 'live' TV for racist Malaysians raised more questions about Zainuddin Maidin's 'mentality' than any other third world Malaysian's as alleged by him.

Being in the position of Malaysia's information minister, Zam is himself pretty misinformed on a few things. Where is the perceived social reality, otherwise known as the 'Malaysia Boleh' spirit, which has always been championed by our leaders? After all, the government has, through mega-projects like the Petronas Twin Towers, led the way in showing that Malaysians can excel in whatever we put our minds to. Now, we are told that we don't even have the minds to comprehend!

When he said 'we have not reached an intellectual stage where Malaysians can carry the wisdom of being able to agree to disagree', was he implying that he, too, has not reach that intellectual stage? Instead of debating whether we have or do not have this intellectual wisdom, Zainuddin Maidin should be re-evaluating and re-balancing his checkbooks. Surely then he would see that the government, in its haste to garner votes and generate consensus, does not need Malaysians to agree to disagree.

If he says that Malaysian viewers are not up to the standard of BBC viewers, where then is RTM's standard? Instead of being public service-oriented like the BBC, RTM has burgeoned into a government service ideological tool (as said by DAP MP Teresa Kok). Marginalisation of the opposition's voice limits plurality of views, as often reflected in the one-dimensional viewpoints.

A few questions Zainuddin Maidin has to answer:

  • How is one's intellectual wisdom measured? Can a group's intellectual wisdom, too, be measured? How did you come to the conclusion that Malaysians are intellectually immature?

  • How far behind are we? When will Malaysians stop thinking from a racial point of view? How will continuous marginalisation of views in RTM repair this 'racist' society?

  • Why are parliamentary proceedings deemed harmful to multiracial Malaysians? Even if the opposition are racist, wouldn't live proceedings shed light onto 'ignorant' voters who blindly vote them in?

    • Since March 10, 2006, Zambia's National Assembly has been beaming live parliamentary debates across Zambia via their first-ever Parliament radio station. Surely, Zambia cannot be far ahead of Malaysia in terms of 'development', what more intellectual wisdom?

    Zambians are made up of more than 72 ethnic groups, with a large number of expatriates and Asian (Indian) immigrants. So, what is holding us back? Zainuddin Maidin cannot keep on repeating the same old rhetoric about Malaysians being immature. Does he want Malaysia to take a step forward? Or are we rendered intellectually incapacitated forever?