INTERVIEW | Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng's relationship with the press, especially the Chinese media, appears unchanged despite Pakatan Harapan winning the federal power at the May 9 polls.

He is still maintaining a cautious approach although post-GE14 scenario has seen a more open and free mainstream media.

Lim said this approach prevails although he does not know the reporters in the Chinese media in Kuala Lumpur.

He noted that the English language press has shown some changes.  

"Hence, they think they can play their role now and they are not personal. Chinese press personally targets you," Lim told Malaysiakini in an interview in Penang.

The former chief minister's relationship with the Chinese media took a turn for the worst in 2013 when he criticised three media organisations in Penang for accepting donations from 1Malaysia Welfare Club, a dodgy entity that was run by a friend of Jho Low, the Penang-born billionaire linked to the 1MDB scandal. 

Speaking to the media in an exclusive interview in Penang since he was sworn-in as a minister on May 21, Lim cited the case of PKR vice-president Rafizi Ramli who planned to sue Sin Chew Daily for allegedly reporting that he was interested in the finance minister's post.

The report came in the wake of his statement questioning Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad's decision to appoint three ministers into his cabinet.

Rafizi, who denied interest in any cabinet position, had said that Mahathir appointed the ministers without consultation with PKR. 

Sin Chew had apologised for the report but Lim asked why they did not do the same when he asked them to correct their reports on him. 

"Rafizi's case has shown that they (Chinese media) are bullying the kind people but scared of those who are severe. Is it easier to bully a Chinese?

"This is the weakness and Achilles' heel of the Chinese press, which is why nobody really trusts their reports. No matter how much they sided with BN in GE14, the people still voted for Harapan," he added.

No DAP ads in Chinese media

Lim said during the GE14 campaign, the DAP did not buy advertisements in the Chinese media as they have reached a "point beyond remedy".

Pointing at the Chinese press in Penang, he claimed that "there is already a change of regime, and those journalists still have not changed". 

"When I became the finance minister, I wanted to speak the truth. I don't have the confidence that the Chinese press will report facts when I speak the truth.

"That is why I prefer the online media, because we can feel that not only the organisation is more professional and ethical, their journalists are also more honest and professional," Lim added.

"Of course, we can't use a bamboo pole to knock over the whole ship, not all journalists are like that, but that is the general situation. I see the journalists in mainstream media deteriorating, not everyone, but the main ones have already deteriorated."

Lim said even though DAP may have the money, it would refuse to advertise in the Chinese media.

He also targetted English daily The Star, saying they were all pro-BN media.

"You may say that since this is a new government, we should put on hold previous incidents but we still need to deal with the lawsuits initiated against them.

"Meanwhile, your reporters are still purposely targetting me, especially journalists from Penang China Press and Guanming Daily," he added.

"This is the first time that the Ministry of Finance is issuing Chinese language translation of its press statements to avoid any misreporting."

Additional reporting by SUSAN LOONE

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