Jamaluddin Ibrahim, the recently-suspended DJ from popular Chinese radio station 988, says one particular individual is behind a series of critical censorship attempts on the Chinese media.

NONE Speaking at a packed forum at the Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall (KLSCAH) last night, Jamaluddin ( left in pic ), who once hosted the Hi Malaysia breakfast show on 988, said his suspension was a direct result of this individual's actions.

He claimed the individual was also responsible for the abrupt halt to popular Mandarin talkshow What Say You? in 2008 and the special documentary series by RTM2 on the negative impacts of the Bakun dam on the native population earlier this year.

According to Jamaluddin, the individual, whom he refused to name, had been lobbying the government for these programmes to be terminated.

NONE “Not only does he listen to Hi Malaysia , he records it and translates it for the authorities. (Following this), I was ordered to take leave and several top guns in my company were suspended after a complaint letter against me was submitted to the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission,” he said.

Jamaluddin's year-long stint with Hi Malaysia has earned him a sizeable following due to the hard-hitting commentaries and phone-in sessions in which current affairs are discussed relatively openly.

NONE His popularity was further displayed last night when forum organisers had to relocate from a 400-capacity hall to the main hall in the building to cope with more than 1,000 people who turned up, despite the forum receiving no mention in the Chinese newspapers.

When Jamaluddin arrived at the scene, the audience rose to give him a thunderous applause, with many jostling to shake hands and pose for photographs with the DJ.

The forum - entitled ‘Evil Forces Devastating Media Freedom?’ - was organised by the Writers Alliance for Media Independence (WAMI) and KLSCAH Youth.

Another silent protest mooted

Another speaker, Monash University lecturer and press freedom advocate Wong Chin Huat, alleged that Jamaluddin was a victim of political meddling by the MCA, which owns 988.

NONE He said that although Jamaluddin was an open supporter of former MCA president Ong Tee Keat, prompting heavy applause from the floor, he said the DJ’s suspension went beyond political allegiances.

“It is not just about MCA, but media freedom for the nation,” he said.

He was referring to denials by current MCA president Dr Chua Soi Lek that he had a hand in Jamaluddin’s suspension. Chua had also vowed not to interfere in 988's current turmoil.

NONE Wong told the audience that the public must not limit their protest against Jamaluddin’s treatment to just the Internet but should also express their support for press freedom by taking direct action.

He urged the public to expand on last Sunday’s ‘1Muted Malaysia’ campaign , by gathering at a restaurant on the ground floor of the MCA headquarters in Kuala Lumpur on National Day.

Wong said that during the event, the public should be dressed in black and don masks covering their mouths to symbolise the “silencing” of the press as a result of political interference.

Jamaluddin accepted Wong’s invitation to attend the gathering.