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Press Statement

by Lim Guan Eng

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(Petaling Jaya, Thursday) : Malaysia’s worst performance in press freedom dropping by 32 spots to 124th ranking in 2007 Press Freedom Index released by Paris-based watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) signals the end of Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s promise that he has big ears to hear the truth. The fact that Malaysia has the worst performance ever, from 110th in 2002, 104th in 2003 when Badawi took over as Prime Minister from Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, 122nd in 2004, 113th in 2005 and 92nd last year shows that on almost every measure, Abdullah has performed worst than Mahathir.

Abdullah had promised during the 2004 general elections of establishing integrity and launching a strong anti-corruption campaign. Instead of improving our position in the Corruption Perception Index (CPI) of Transparency International of 37th when Abdullah took over as Prime Minister in 2003, Malaysia’s position declined. Just like the decline in press ranking, Malaysia achieved its worst ranking in the CPI last year at No. 44th before improving to 43rd this year.

When Abdullah took over as Prime Minister, he asked not only that the people tell him the truth but also that the people should work with him but not for him. Sadly, Tun Dr Mahathir’s impression was correct that Abdullah were working more for his son-in-law UMNO Youth President Khairy Jamaluddin or helping his own son to become one of the richest entrepreneurs in Malaysia.

Abdullah’s promises of telling the truth sounds hollow when Malaysia performed worse under the Press Freedom Index than countries like Kampuchea (85), Timor-Leste (94) or Indonesia (103). Continued restrictions against the news media such as a ban on news about Wee Meng Chee, closure or pig farms, Islamic state issue; or action taken against bloggers and a Tamil daily Makkal Ossai for offences where the offended Christian churches had accepted their apology only reveals the hidden agenda of BN to suppress any news portal that is not pro-government.

Information Minister Datuk Zainudin Mydin may take pride in saying that the media need not publish the truth but such directives to the Malaysian media not only contradicts what the Prime Minister said but also shows that there is no press freedom in Malaysia. Malaysiakini reported that Information Minister Zainuddin Maidin had told news editors not to play up negative news because Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's pledge to "hear the truth" does not apply to the media. Zainuddin explained that Abdullah's often repeated pledges of "listening to the truth" were only restricted to government officials and Barisan Nasional leaders so as to assist the cabinet in making decisions.

When Abdullah make such empty promises that are meant to be broken, Zam’s behavior reminds Malaysians that Abdullah’s promises of having big ears to hear the truth as no different from the big bad wolf in the children’s tale of LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD. The big bad wolf disguised as Little Red Riding Hood’s granny had ready answers to her questions.

LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD: What big ears you have!
BIG BAD WOLF: (falsetto) All the better to hear you with my dear.

LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD: And Granny. What a big nose you have. (she gets closer)
BIG BAD WOLF: (falsetto) All the better to smell you with my dear.

LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD: And Granny. What big eyes you have. (she moves closer)
BIG BAD WOLF: (falsetto) All the better to see you with my dear.

LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD: And Granny. What big teeth you have. (she is looking directly at the wolf’s teeth and his mouth is wide open)
BIG BAD WOLF: (growling in his deep wolf voice) All the better to eat you with my dear!

It will be a sad day if Abdullah continues to allow his promises to remain unfulfilled, undelivered or broken by anti-truth proponents such as Zam. Malaysians can no longer place any hope in BN that political liberties and human rights freedom will improve under Abdullah. Malaysians can only depend on themselves if they want to avoid that fate and escape like Little Red Riding Hood.

In the children’s tale, Little Red Riding Hood was saved by her granny who appeared in time to chase away the big bad wolf. There is no “granny” to save Malaysians and Malaysians must instead exercise vigilance to defend their rights or freedom or else they will end up in the stomach of BN with rampant crime, corruption and abuse of power.