I am very disappointed by Khalil’s response and I would ask him to learn the difference between “news” and “propaganda” before he defends the indefensible to justify the continued broadcast of Barisan Nasional 90-second television propaganda camouflaged as prime-time news.
I have just received confirmation that the 90-second Barisan Nasional political propaganda to make the Indera Kayangan by-election voters to believe that the Barisan Alternative represents a repressive, intolerant and inhuman Taliban Malaysia, with PAS as the chief proponent and Parti Keadilan Nasional the abettor, and to influence them to vote for the Barisan Nasional on polling day on January 19, 2002, has entered into a new phase.
When the 90-second Barisan Nasional propaganda footage camouflaged as prime time news was first telecast ten days ago, it was only on RTM1 8 p.m. news. Progressively, it was extended to RTM2 English 8 pm news, then TV3 8 pm news, then RTM1 6 p.m. news. I have just been informed that this propaganda footage was broadcast over RTM2 6.30 p.m. Chinese news - and it is going to stay put until Indera Kayangan by-election polling.
Information Ministry's parliamentary secretary Datuk Zainuddin Maidin has said that it was “a mere coincidence” that his Ministry was running the nightly 90-second political broadcast just as Indera Kayangan by-election was approaching, and that it was “meant to be shown from time to time over a long period” and “part of our psychological warfare against the extremists”.
I am sure it will also be “a mere coincidence” that the nightly 90-second political propaganda broadcast camouflaged as news, now in full swing in the various television channels and different languages, will be discontinued immediately at the close of the Indera Kayangan by-election campaign!
Khalil should not only learn to distinguish between “propaganda” and “news”, he should also learn to distinguish between “right” and “wrong” in the discharge of his duties and responsibilities as Information Minister!
Here, I am not referring to the content of the propaganda footage, whether it is defamatory or not, which is for PAS and Parti Keadilan Nasional to take up as they are the direct parties attacked.
I am referring to the “rights” and “wrongs” for an Information Minister to give his blessings to the 90-second Barisan Nasional propaganda footage camouflaged as prime-time news over the television channels in the country.
First, it is wrong to pass off propaganda as news. Secondly, it is even more wrong to pass off the same propaganda as news, night after night, for some three weeks until the end of the Indera Kayangan by-election campaign.
If Khalil is convinced about the value of the political propaganda footage,
then he should impose three conditions for its continued broadcast, viz:
Is Khalil prepared to prove himself as a good, conscientious and
responsible Minister for Information?
(8/1/2002)