YOURSAY ‘You’re blind to Utusan , which has been guilty of more serious charges.’
Threat to sue Mkini not crackdown, says PM
Casey: A sitting prime minister suing the press for libel? I must say PM Najib Razak is either ill-advised or maliciously misadvised by obsequious sycophants or his enemy from within Umno.
If Najib allows himself to be coaxed into suing Malaysiakini , he will find himself either: (a) being humiliated, which will be to the delight of his enemy from within; or (b) secure a Pyrrhic victory but in which case, the political cost that he will incur would be no different from a defeat.
Oriole: Najib, you can call it what you want. This is you using your position as head of government to intimidate the media. There are no two ways about it.
How about using your powers to put an end to the bullying of minorities? What about using your powers to ensure that poor mothers like P Panjalay (the same woman Shahrizat Abdul Jalil visited with diapers and RM500 and then asked for her vote in the upcoming Teluk Intan by-election) receive welfare aid for her three mentally challenged daughters?
It would be nice if you're using your powers to the benefit of such matters.
Rojak: It's an important case that everyone should be watching carefully. Hopefully the courts will be wise enough to determine if there was anything defamatory.
Should they decide in favour of Najib, reasonable damages will be payable and that is the end of the matter. What there should not be is calls for Malaysiakini to be shut down - if one instance of libel was all that took, then there wouldn't be many Malaysian newspapers operating today.
The UK case (where a newspaper bribed police and hacked phones) which Najib cited is irrelevant. That newspaper's management knowingly broke the law for many years, thereby causing heartbreak to the vulnerable. In the end, it closed itself down.
There may be some local newspapers with a similar record - but not Malaysiakini .
Quigonbond: I think it's fair for anyone to sue someone for defamation, except that in Malaysia, since the Federal Court is lopsided, we know Malaysiakini is going to lose if Najib is serious enough.
And why not, Malaysiakini represents the singular most potent media threat to the very survival of Umno.
On another front, since the PM has displayed some measure of cerebral lucidity on this occasion, he should also know that there is a clear difference between legitimate criticism and sedition. Yet, not a whimper from him to abolish the Sedition Act which he promised before GE13.
On Thomas Cup, what a laughable analogy. Umno has no control over the International Badminton Association. That's why it can't change the rules. This PM seems to be fumbling from one analogy to another.
He should stick with what he does best, keep quiet.
Malaysian 53: Money politics is the name of the game in Umno. Even Najib and former PM Dr Mahathir Mohamad have acknowledged that fact.
We know about the millions of ringgit are necessary to win a division chief post in Umno. So why take Malaysiakini to task when that is the public perception of what took place in the Terengganu Umno crises.
If only Najib listens to the public directly rather than diehard Umno members and his legal team, who are most probably on the command of the right-wing and do exactly what Najib claims he is not doing - "crack down".
Abasir: Pray explain, Mr Prime Minister, why is it you deemed it unnecessary to sue the hundreds who have openly imputed your alleged involvement with Altantuya Shaariibuu and in the events leading to and after her gruesome killing?
You chose to swear on the Quran then in a bid to wash yourself off the implied stain. Could you not have done the same when some of the rakyat asked about the possibility of money changing hands in Terengganu?
Is it possible that you consider the murder involvement allegation more delicate, more sticky and less straightforward than the commentary on the Terengganu crisis by citizens?
Too Lan: Take a survey among the public and let then read the Malaysiakini articles mentioned. Do they believe it? If the people mentioned are clean and principled, there will be no interest to read such articles.
Now Najib ask yourself, can you pass this test? Yes, it’s the perception. But why is it so bad?
Joker: In Thomas Cup, the rule is whoever wins two sets would take the match. At each set, the one who reaches 21 points first will win the set. Whenever the 11th point is reached, players will change court to ensure fairness taking into account different court conditions.
In Malaysia's GE, you win the election by having the most number of seats. However, each seat is of different sizes. If we go with Najib’s Thomas Cup analogy, it is like certain sets having 21-point format, but one side only need 5 points to win.
The Election Commission, police, newspaper, TV, radio and election courts are also blatantly one sided. This is like placing your opponent permanently at the side of the court with bad wind conditions, poor lighting and slippery floor.
Most tellingly, it is like having the umpire and linesmen all making decisions in your favour.
Onyourtoes: The Thomas Cup rules apply to all countries equally and fairly. Our election rules apply selectively to favour certain parties.
Yes, 52 percent (and in the case of Perak 55 percent) of the most dynamic people in this country deserve to rule this country, not the 47 percent nincompoops.
Oh Ya?: Of course, the threat to sue Malaysiakini is not a crackdown. It is selective persecution as Utusan Malaysia , New Straits Times and other pro-ruling coalition media, NGOs and personalities are left off the hook.
CQ Muar: Najib, you are sending a clear message to your audience (at the National Press Club award ceremony) with a stern warning and justifying your impending action against Malaysiakini .
What is surprising is, why are you selective with your threats - picking on Malaysiakini and yet blind to your Utusan , which has consistently been guilty of more serious charges?
You accused the new portal ( Malaysiakini ) for having "gone overboard", when your own media has gone beyond slander.
Mr PM, be fair and impartial if you're a good leader, and not misuse your power by resorting to threats. With your action, we hope the truth someday will prevail. God willing.
888: This time, it’s a different fight. It’s not just against Malaysiakini , but the thousands and thousands of Malaysiakini diehards and supporters. No fear, the people are behind you.
Adsertor: If this is not a crackdown on freedom of press, then it must be Najib's generous effort to relieve our righteous journalists of their heavy burden of reporting accurate news.
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