PETALING JAYA: The Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) has condemned the incendiary front-page report by Utusan Malaysia on May 7 with the headline “Apa lagi orang Cina mahu?” (What more do the Chinese want?) and Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak’s subsequent defence of it.
The article attributed the ruling Barisan Nasional’s dwindling performance in the 13th general election to the Chinese vote flight in support of Pakatan Rakyat.
It also said the Chinese community was “ungrateful” despite BN’s posturing to their demands and claimed that the Chinese had a long-term desire to gain political power by going all out to vote against BN.
Najib, when asked about Utusan’s stoking of racial tension scuppering his call for post-GE13 resolution, defended the Umno-owned daily’s coverage and called for greater scrutiny of Chinese language media’s reports, without giving any specific examples.
“That Utusan chose to publish this article on their front page just a few days away from May 13th, the anniversary of the racial clash between the Malay and Chinese communities, shows an editorial decision that is at best irresponsible,” said CIJ executive officer Masjaliza Hamzah.
“CIJ calls on Utusan to apologise not only to the Chinese community but also to all Malaysians for insulting our intelligence with such vile report masquerading as a journalistic piece.
“CIJ urges Utusan Malaysia journalists to remember the strong journalistic tradition and integrity of its past journalists such as Said Zahari. We call on Utusan Malaysia to adhere to ethical standards of journalism and cease to be a mouthpiece for fomenting ethnic violence,” she added.
Masjaliza said CIJ underscored the Malaysian public’s disappointment of Najib for defending Utusan’s coverage rather than rejecting it.
“We call upon all politicians to be uncompromising in their rejection of ethnic hatred and specifically media’s role in amplifying racial animosity,” she added.
While the ruling BN government’s share of seats in parliament and state assemblies may have decreased, Masjaliza said Najib had just been sworn in as prime minister and it is incumbent upon him to provide leadership and make a stand against ethnic hatred and media’s role in fanning such sentiments.
“We urge the use of provisions under the Penal Code rather than Sedition Act in police investigations of the above,” she added.
-FMT
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
CIJ condemns Utusan, Najib
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Pemuda Gerakan Kedah meminta pihak tertentu supaya tidak memutarbelitkan kenyataan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak berhubung tsunami politik pengundi Cina dalam Pilihan Raya Umum Ke-13 (PRU-13), Ahad lalu.
ReplyDeleteKetuanya, Tan Keng Liang berkata, terdapat pihak tertentu cuba memutarbelitkan kenyataan tersebut dengan mendakwa kononnya Perdana Menteri mengatakan seolah-olah semua kaum Cina menolak kerajaan Barisan Nasional (BN).
ReplyDelete"Perdana Menteri tidak cakap semua rakyat kaum Cina tolak BN tetapi ada pihak ambil kesempatan daripadanya dengan memutarbelitkan kenyataan beliau," katanya pada sidang akhbar di sini hari ini.
ReplyDeleteMenurut Keng Liang, tidak adil untuk pihak berkenaan membuat implikasi seolah-olah semua rakyat berketurunan Cina di negara ini menolak BN.
ReplyDeleteBeliau juga menyeru semua pihak kembali bersatu dan mengelak politik perkauman untuk menjamin perpaduan dan pembangunan negara. Tambahnya, masih ramai rakyat berketurunan Cina di negara ini termasuk di Kedah yang menyokong BN pada PRU-13.
ReplyDelete"Perkara ini dapat dilihat menerusi kejayaan BN merampas semula kerusi Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN) Kulim selain mempertahankan DUN Gurun. "Pada hakikatnya ramai rakyat di Kedah berketurunan Cina menyokong BN untuk kembali mentadbir Kedah," katanya.
ReplyDeleteChinese support for the BN is still at a reasonable level even though they only form between 20% and 30% of the voters in most constituencies
ReplyDeleteIn the 2008 general election, the Barisan Nasional lost its two-thirds majority in the Dewan Rakyat, and one of the main arguments for this was that a sizeable number of Chinese voters supported the opposition coalition of PKR-DAP-PAS.
Chinese support for the BN is still at a reasonable level even though they only form between 20% and 30% of the voters in most constituencies
ReplyDeletePolitical observers say this trend had started five years earlier in Kedah, Penang, Selangor and the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur and spread to Sarawak in the 2011 state election where the BN lost 13 state seats, all Chinese-majority seats, to DAP.
Chinese support for the BN is still at a reasonable level even though they only form between 20% and 30% of the voters in most constituencies
ReplyDeleteThere are now arguments that this trend may even spread to Johor, so far the bastion of support for the BN, because urban Chinese have turned out in large numbers at opposition political gatherings.
Chinese support for the BN is still at a reasonable level even though they only form between 20% and 30% of the voters in most constituencies
ReplyDeleteThe DAP is making a major onslaught there this time. In view of these developments, many have been quick to generalise that almost all Chinese voters in the country will root for opposition candidates.
Chinese support for the BN is still at a reasonable level even though they only form between 20% and 30% of the voters in most constituencies
ReplyDeleteBut an in-depth look into the issue indicates that this is not entirely the true picture of Chinese voters in the country. Rita Sim, co-founder of the Centre for Strategic Engagement, said most urbanites – Chinese, Malays and Indians included – appeared to be yearning for change and tend to look at the opposition. She even discerned that even middle-class Malays in the urban areas have shifted their attention away from the BN.
Chinese support for the BN is still at a reasonable level even though they only form between 20% and 30% of the voters in most constituencies
ReplyDeleteIn view of the trend towards change and perception held by most urban residents, Sim said, the Chinese, being mostly urbanites, had also been lumped as opposition sympathisers.
Chinese support for the BN is still at a reasonable level even though they only form between 20% and 30% of the voters in most constituencies
ReplyDeleteSim explained that the opposition parties were harping on issues that connected well with the urban voters. “There are also urban Chinese voters who support the BN. But, these people don’t openly state their support,” she said.
Chinese support for the BN is still at a reasonable level even though they only form between 20% and 30% of the voters in most constituencies
ReplyDeletePolitical observers say that not many have the gumption like actress Michelle Yeoh who had openly pledged her support for the BN and even called on Malaysians to give Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak a strong mandate.
Chinese support for the BN is still at a reasonable level even though they only form between 20% and 30% of the voters in most constituencies
ReplyDeletePolitical party workers explained that three main factors could influence the decision of the voters. One is the type of constituency, whether urban, semi-urban or rural; the other is the ethnic composition of voters in the constituency; and the third, the choice of candidates.
Chinese support for the BN is still at a reasonable level even though they only form between 20% and 30% of the voters in most constituencies
ReplyDeletePolitical analysts say that Chinese support for the BN is still at a reasonable level even though they only form between 20% and 30% of the voters in most constituencies, like Bagan Datoh, Sungai Siput, Sembrong and Tambun. “For example, in the predominantly Malay parliamentary constituency of Tambun located in Ipoh, a DAP stronghold, incumbent Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah, is extremely popular with the Chinese voters,” said a party insider.
Chinese support for the BN is still at a reasonable level even though they only form between 20% and 30% of the voters in most constituencies
ReplyDeleteAnother example is the Sungai Siput parliamentary seat where former MIC president S Samy Vellu enjoyed good support from the Chinese. Samy Vellu’s defeat there in 2008 was due to the fact that he lost a quarter of the Malay votes and almost 70% of the Indian votes while the level of support from the Chinese voters remained almost the same as in 2004.
Chinese support for the BN is still at a reasonable level even though they only form between 20% and 30% of the voters in most constituencies
ReplyDeleteSimilarly, in the Kuala Terengganu by-election in early 2009, the first by-election after the political tsunami of 2008, Chinese voter support for the BN increased although the BN lost the parliamentary seat.
Chinese support for the BN is still at a reasonable level even though they only form between 20% and 30% of the voters in most constituencies
ReplyDelete“In Terengganu, we still rely on the strong Chinese support. We do have PKR and DAP contesting there but their effect [on the Chinese] is not that good. Our local support is still strong, it is different in some other states on the west coast, northern Peninsular Malaysia and in the Klang Valley,” said state MCA chairman Toh Chin Yaw.
Chinese support for the BN is still at a reasonable level even though they only form between 20% and 30% of the voters in most constituencies
ReplyDeleteHe explained that the choice of candidates and their personal touch played a critical role in deciding the winner. Toh stressed that as such one could not simply generalise the so-called general sentiment said to be running through the Chinese community.
Chinese support for the BN is still at a reasonable level even though they only form between 20% and 30% of the voters in most constituencies
ReplyDeleteToh’s reasoning may perhaps explain the BN’s ability to retain the Kampar parliamentary seat in Perak in 2008 despite the fact that 60% of the voters there were Chinese and there was strong sentiment against the BN then.
Chinese support for the BN is still at a reasonable level even though they only form between 20% and 30% of the voters in most constituencies
ReplyDeleteKampar is located in the Kinta Valley, an area known as DAP’s stronghold. But the BN’s candidate from MCA, Lee Chee Leong, managed to win with a majority of 2,697 votes even though 60% of the voters was Chinese.
Chinese support for the BN is still at a reasonable level even though they only form between 20% and 30% of the voters in most constituencies
ReplyDelete“He won mainly due to his personal touch and humble approach. He served the constituency well. That’s why the voters still gave him their support,” said MCA Youth deputy chief Mah Hang Soon, who was also the sole BN candidate from MCA to have won the state seat of Chenderiang in Perak in 2008.
Chinese support for the BN is still at a reasonable level even though they only form between 20% and 30% of the voters in most constituencies
ReplyDeleteMCA’s strategist and central committee member Ti Lian Ker believes that the mistaken notion that the Chinese are mostly for the opposition is merely spread by the DAP to influence the Chinese voters.
Chinese support for the BN is still at a reasonable level even though they only form between 20% and 30% of the voters in most constituencies
ReplyDelete“Basically, they [DAP] talk about change in the hope to convince the Chinese voters that they can make a big difference with their votes when in fact the Malay and Indian votes are still with the BN. “In any democratic country, there is always a 20% to 30% of core votes support for either side. So, in this case, there is still a core of 20%-30% Chinese support from MCA members for the BN,” he said.
Chinese support for the BN is still at a reasonable level even though they only form between 20% and 30% of the voters in most constituencies
ReplyDeleteTi therefore believed that the trick is to zero on the estimated 30% plus to 40% of the undecided or “fence-sitters”. With polling in the 13th general election set for Sunday, the notion that the Chinese electorate is pro-opposition may prove to be not true at all.
The “Chinese tsunami” in the general election was not against Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak but against the MCA and its leadership, said former party stalwart Tan Sri Lim Ah Lek.
ReplyDeleteLim, who was also the party deputy president from 1996 to 2003, stressed that the unhappiness of the Chinese community, which was expressed in the elections, was a culmination of numerous factors and had nothing to do with Najib or his leadership.
ReplyDelete“Najib has personally gone out of his way and done a lot for the community over the years ... I know this personally,” he said.
ReplyDelete“As the party president, Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek must accept full responsibility for the party’s poor showing and step down immediately. “I know he is not going to seek re-election at the party’s AGM later this year, but that is not enough. He must step down now.”
ReplyDeleteLim, who has never attended a party AGM since Dr Chua became its president, said the Chinese were calling for change and Dr Chua should heed this call and make way for new blood.
ReplyDelete“I can forgive him for his indiscretion but I can never respect him as a party leader,” he said.
He stressed that the Chinese community was, overall, happy with Najib’s leadership, but not with Chua.
ReplyDeleteThe Barisan Nasional (BN) government has not collapsed simply because most of the Chinese voted for Pakatan Rakyat in the just concluded 13th General Election (GE13), said Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.
ReplyDeleteHe said the reality was that the Bumiputras and Indians were still supporting the BN and gave their mandate to the BN government in GE13 to continue to lead the country.
ReplyDelete"We must realise that the opposition, especially DAP, has given the impression to the Chinese that they can change the government. In fact, they drummed up the slogan that if the Chinese were to support the opposition, they could change the government.
ReplyDeleteThe fact and reality are that although most of the Chinese voted for the opposition, the government did not fall, the BN government still prevails.
ReplyDeleteAlthough the Chinese vote for the DAP in some areas increased to between 85 and 95 per cent, the BN still prevailed due to the support from Bumiputeras and Indians in many other areas for they still believed in the coalition.
ReplyDeleteHe described the scenario portrayed by the opposition, especially the DAP, as a major deception against the Chinese to the extent that the community was confident that their votes could change the government.
ReplyDeleteNajib said he believed that if the Chinese supported the BN like in 2008, it was not possible for the coalition to garner a two-thirds majority in GE13.
ReplyDeleteAsserting that the Chinese had been taken for a ride by the opposition, he said immediate explanation should be given to make them aware of the reality.
ReplyDeleteHe dismissed the notion of a large shift in the urban Malay sentiment had contributed to the BN's declining support, for based on fact, the Malay votes in urban areas had increased compared to that of 2008.
ReplyDeleteA lot of polling district centres in Malay-dominated areas basically had strengthened compared to that of 2008. In 2008, UMNO won 79 (parliamentary seats), and this time 88 seats, meaning that the Malay votes had strengthened across the country.
ReplyDeleteOf course, not everyone had supported the BN, but by and large, the Malay support base had increased even in the urban areas.
ReplyDeleteOn ways to arrest the changing trend in Chinese votes, the prime minister said it would not be done in a hurry. An in-depth study and discussions will be carried out with BN component parties.
ReplyDelete"The Opposition, particularly DAP, took the Chinese community for a "good ride" by successfully persuading them into believing they could change the government, despite bumiputra and Indian support remaining with Barisan Nasional,"Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.
ReplyDelete"I am not blaming the Chinese because they were manipulated by the DAP into believing that they could change the government.
ReplyDelete"The Chinese were taken for a good ride by the DAP. They believed this lie and that's why they voted en masse for the DAP although we (Barisan) have helped them so much.
ReplyDeleteThe Opposition's "Ubah" (change) slogan gave the community the impression that it was possible to change the government.
ReplyDelete"However, the reality was that even when majority of the Chinese supported the Opposition, the government did not fall," PM "It was a blatant lie to the Chinese.
ReplyDelete"The Barisan government has remained intact because the reality is that, with bumiputras and Indians supporting the coalition, the government cannot be changed,"
ReplyDeleteHe said if the Chinese had maintained the level of support similar to the 2008 polls, Barisan would have already secured two-thirds' majority.
ReplyDeleteAsked about Anwar's refusal to accept Barisan's victory, Najib said the Opposition could not be selective and accept results only in states it won, such as Kelantan, Penang and Selangor, while rejecting the outcome in places where it lost.
ReplyDeleteDatuk Seri Najib Tun Razak paid tribute to the Chinese community in the country by describing them as an integral part of Malaysia's success. The Prime Minister said he had always admired the Chinese for their all-round contributions.
ReplyDelete“I have always held the community in the very highest regard not only for its business and entrepreneurial acumen but for its commitment to education, charitable causes and of course, community work."
ReplyDeleteWCEF chairman Datuk Michael Yeoh said the Chinese community had benefited tremendously from Najib's fair and just leadership.
ReplyDelete“The 1Malaysia philosophy, the increased allocation for Chinese schools and the granting of tax exemptions to churches and temples have shown your commitment to fairness and justice.
ReplyDelete“You have contributed significantly to the transformation of the Malaysian nation and this proces s has enhanced peace and prosperi ty in the nation.
“The Global Chinese Diaspora, which is linked to WC EF, recognises your immense contributions to the Malaysian Chinese community,” Yeoh
"Malaysia was the only country, apart from China and Taiwan, that not only recognised Chinese education but also guaranteed its future, as part and parcel of the national education system" Najib Razak
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeletePakatan Rakyat won more seats than the Opposition pact has ever managed and solidified its rule of three states. Despite a result that would be the envy of any other modern democracy's governing party, Barisan Nasional is now committed to more transformational measures to avoid a repetition of this election.
Yet Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is apparently bringing to fruition months of well poisoning, calling the election fraudulent, and calling for mass protests. It would appear that he is risking lawlessness and chaos merely because in the end, his coalition fought the wrong battles and lost.
No responsible Opposition leader the world over would throw a fit of pique such as this, risking the stability and harmony of his nation over an election loss. It is time that Anwar reconsidered his promise – apparently now abandoned – to retire and return to teaching and leave electoral politics, for the sake of his coalition and Malaysia.
ReplyDeleteAnwar's strategy has been plain for months. He began by telling anyone who would listen that even before the election was held, if Pakatan lost GE13, it could only be because of fraud. After months of electoral reforms and before the first ballot was cast, the motivation behind this was obvious.
The culmination of Anwar's strategy was in his now-infamous tweet on Sunday night: "PR has won. We urge UMNO and the EC to not attempt to hijack the results," he tweeted before a single seat had been declared.
ReplyDeleteThis was reminiscent of the September 16, 2008 crossover pledge, when he prematurely announced he had enough votes to form a new Government, and warned Umno to stand down.
But this time, Anwar's words were clearly intended to convince his supporters that the any loss would be fraud – which he followed by declaring the result fraudulent the instant it was announced.
ReplyDeleteWorse, he is now calling for protests. "We must be allowed to express ourselves properly in stadiums or in the vicinity of a public space," he declared to the BBC Monday.
By itself this is nothing remarkable. After all, the Peaceful Assembly Act allows for peaceful statements such as this. Yet after months of poisoning the well, the likelihood of violence from his protesters increases.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has called on all quarters to accept the election results and to raise any challenges in the courts or through administrative bodies. This is how statesmen govern. This is how any credible Opposition leader would lead.
ReplyDeleteAfter what may be the final blow to his three-decade-long quest for power, Anwar is playing with fire. It is time for this to end, and for Anwar to stand down.
He should come out and apologizes
ReplyDeleteHarus berlagak seperti seorang hero
ReplyDeletePakatan Rakyat took the people of Sabah for a ride by swindling and manipulating our gullible voters into believing a blatant lie that they could change the government!
ReplyDeleteFor those who are familiar with the intricate history and politics of Israel, Sabah is becoming exactly like Jerusalem!
ReplyDeleteUtusan harus keluar memberi penjelasan
ReplyDeletePenjelasan lebih baik dari mengutuk
ReplyDeletePakatan Rakyat has successfully split the opposition votes and now they can be the undisputed opposition with Barisan Nasional continuing to be the Sabah State Government exactly like what is happening in Sarawak presently.
ReplyDeleteUtusan Malaysia's frontpage headline "Apa lagi Cina mahu" (What else do the Chinese want?) today has caused a storm of reactions among the online community.
ReplyDeleteOn the Utusan Online page on social media website Facebook, comments by Chinese and non-Chinese alike were seen on various postings, many of which called the newspaper out for being "racist".
ReplyDeleteA link to a news article by Utusan Malaysia stating that political party DAP are fanning racial flames among supporters drew polarising comments.
ReplyDeleteIn a comment, Syahrul Nizam called Utusan Malaysia out for fanning the flames between the Malays and the Chinese, pointing out their different tone in coverage before and after the elections.
ReplyDeleteAbdul Hayy Abdul Malik also commented: "This is not a racial sentiment, but an objection to unfair election results by all races."
ReplyDeleteAbdul Hayy Abdul Malik also commented: "This is not a racial sentiment, but an objection to unfair election results by all races." However, there are also those that supported the sentiments propagated.
ReplyDeletePerdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak mempertahankan laporan muka depan Utusan Malaysia yang bertanya soalan “Apa lagi Cina mahu?”
ReplyDeleteAnda menyalahkan Utusan tapi anda tidak bertanya tentang akhbar Cina,” kata Najib
ReplyDeleteNajib menyebut bahawa akhbar Cina pun menyiarkan jenis
ReplyDeleteberita yang sama, sebelum meninggalkan tempat sidang akhbar.
Najib juga berkata masyarakat Cina telah terpengaruh dengan pembangkang dan bertanggapan bahawa undi mereka boleh membawa perubahan dalam kerajaan.
ReplyDeletekatanya, beliau tidak menyalahkan mereka, tetapi menegaskan bahawa mereka perlu diberitahu bahawa mereka telah terpengaruh sama seperti dakwaan 16 Sept, lapor fz.com, merujuk kepada kegagalan percubaan Pakatan Rakyat gagal untuk memujuk 30 Ahli Parlimen BN menyertai mereka pada 2008.
ReplyDeleteUtusan harus dikenakan tindakan.
ReplyDeleteUtusan mencetus perasaan tidak puas hati semua bangsa.
ReplyDeletePRU13 ini tiada kaitan langsung dengan bangsa dan kaum, mereka ini berjuang demi masa depan dan kerajaan yang lebih berkeupayaan.
ReplyDeleteCina tidak tolak BN malah golongan yang mengharapkan perubahan dan kerajaan yang tidak berasuah yang memimpin.
ReplyDeletePRU13 ini tidak adil dan amanah. Tiada kaitan dengan racist yang dikaitkan. Ini cuma pihak lain yang sengaja memainkan isu ini untuk mengancam ketenteraman.
ReplyDelete