Information Ministry Parliamentary-Secretary Zainuddin Maidin came under fire today for justifying a nightly 90-second footage being aired by the government television station RTM during its prime time news bulletin slots.

DAP chairperson Lim Kit Siang said Zainuddin seemed to "fancy himself as the Joseph Goebbels (WWII Nazi propagandist) of Malaysia and de facto Barisan Nasional propaganda minister".

Lim asked Zainuddin to own up whether he is chiefly responsible for the short films and said the latter's manner of justifying the footage was "blatant, brazen and proprietorial".

The footage depicts PAS as a 'Malaysian Taliban' backed by Keadilan. It also portrayed DAP's split with PAS and the former's withdrawal from Barisan Alternatif over the Islamic state issue and implied this was only a sandiwara (stage drama).

Yesterday, Zainuddin was reported saying that it was a 'mere coincidence' that his ministry was airing the footage with the Indera Kayangan by-election in Perlis approaching.

The footage, he claimed, was meant to be shown from time to time over a long period and was part of 'our psychological warfare against the extremists'.

Deputy Home Minister Chor Chee Heung had also defended the footage by saying that it was 'general information and news item for the public'.

Advertising fees

In his press statement, Lim said "political propaganda broadcast camouflaged as news" should be a test case as to whether BN leaders understood the basic concepts of fair play, decency and honesty.

"(Perhaps) these simple values are too difficult for them to grasp," said Lim adding that cabinet should direct the information ministry to immediately stop the broadcast of the footage.

"Otherwise, it should ask the auditor-general and the Anti-Corruption Agency to investigate as to why RTM is not collecting advertising fees from BN for this nightly political propaganda," said Lim.

He said the cost for airing such a nightly broadcast could run up to as high as RM2 million, which if not collected would result in loss of government revenue.

"I have been informed that the prime-time rate for a 30-second commercial, before adding a five percent service tax, is RM2,400," he added.

Yesterday, Lim had said the DAP was considering taking legal action against BN and RTM for 'abuse of government resources and facilities'.

He said the broadcast of the footage was wrong for several reasons including a breach of trust to safeguard public funds and the violating of a ban on no-campaigning until after nomination day for a by-election.

Polling for the Indera Kayangan by-election in Perlis has been fixed for Jan 19 with Jan10 set as nomination day.