The local media's avoidance of issues pertaining to top Malaysian politicians' misdeeds is due to the fear of opening themselves up to litigation, said a lecturer in mass communications, Zaharom Nain.

"Such a thing is so typical of Malaysian mainstream media. Their sense of news values have become so eroded," he said when commenting on the absence of the story of notices served to MCA chief and Transport Minister Ling Liong Sik, and his eldest son Hee Leong and wife Carol Ong Lee Choo, to pay a RM150 million "debt".

The RM150 million demand claim, which was reported by malaysiakini yesterday evening, was conspicuously omitted by The Star, The Sun, Sin Chew Jit Poh, China Press, Guang Ming Daily, Kwong Wah Yit Poh, Berita Harian , and Utusan Malaysia . ("[#1] Ling asked to pay back RM150 million 'debt'[/#] ", June 13)

Only the Nanyang Siang Pau and the New Straits Times reported the case of notices served by the lawyers for fugitive businessman Soh Chee Wen; however, the names of Ling, his son and daughter-in-law were not mentioned. They were referred to only as "a young businesssman, his wife and father." (NST, June 14).

Commenting on this particular omission by most of the Malaysian print media, Zaharom Nain, who is from Universiti Sains Malaysia, observed that all these papers have to do is call the lawyers representing Soh to confirm if a notice has been served.

"They would not be alleging anything, merely reporting (on the case). It would be ridiculous for anyone in the first place to sue based on a factual report," he added.

Malaysiakini asked whether the recent precedence of defamation lawsuits have made the environment prohibitive for the media to speak, Nain, a commentator the media issues and a columnist for malaysiakini , brushed this concern aside, saying that "the Malaysian media people are just hiding behind the defamation law, using it as a lame excuse not to run such stories."

"This is merely taking self-censorship to another more ridiculous level."

Media analyst Chang Teck Peng told malaysiakini that the way the Chinese press handled this news development involving a minister and his family members means denying the readers' the right to know.

"And I think readers should protest to those papers who had omitted the news via email or fax. We have to give them a clear message that the newspapers should not rob the readers' right to know the truth," said Chang, who is part of the Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ).

He pointed out that for the Chinese press, apart from pressures of the law, the symbiotic relationship of some the Chinese papers with some Chinese politicians is significant, especially since these papers normally depend on BN's Chinese politicians like ministers, deputy and parliamentary secretaries for getting exclusive stories.

Touching on the recent issue of Ling's consideration of resignation, the Chinese press revealed their agenda by using headlines such as "retain Ling", "Ling should not resign", and "Ling contributes a lot to Chinese society".

"The stiff competition among the Chinese papers has made the 'exclusive news' provided by MCA politicians very important, and hence the Chinese press are normally reluctant to offend MCA leaders, especially those with ministerial posts," said Chang.

"Some of the news editors and some senior journalists are too close to some of the MCA politicians," Chang commented.

According to CIJ coordinator Sharaad Kuttan, the media will end up doing a disservice to itself when they deal with issues of public interest in a manner of omission or non-acknowledgment.

"In the Malaysian context where the media do not have a monopoly over the dissemination of information, any news organisation that attempts to suppress information is playing a losing game," he said.

"What would be the point of suppressing the fact that a notice was served to the Cabinet minister? Have the media erred so much on the side of caution to the extent that they have undermined their duty to the public?" Kuttan asked.

He emphasised that the media have a duty to provide the public with the full facts of the case.