Speech by Lim Guan Eng at the CJMY Conference Gala Night at Royal Hotel on Saturday, 19^th May 2012: 

News value can not ignore humanity, professionalism and integrity  

I am very pleased to be here tonight to speak to you all, and in particular the Citizen Journalists, at this 3rd Citizen Journalists' conference.

As you all are aware, the situation of newsgathering in Malaysia is not all rosy. The ever-increasing scepticism and distrust among readers of the mainstream media have created a demand for impartial and objective news and have given birth to a new form of journalism known as citizen journalism.

This evening we find ourselves in the distinguished company of many Citizen Journalists who have been trained by Malaysiakini, with the assistance of International Centre for Journalists. I would like to take this opportunity sincerely to congratulate Malaysiakini for doing this in the name of the freedom of the press. I would like also to thank the International Centre for Journalists for working closely with Malaysiakini in developing this programme.

Since late 2008, Citizen Journalists across Malaysia have been tirelessly covering stories from all aspects. Stories that have been constantly overlooked by the mainstream media have been picked up by these Citizen Journalists. They have made it possible for the viewers and readers to see the other side of the story, which normally fails to appear.

CJs, as they are fondly known, have shaken political parties, highlighted community struggles, covered religious and ethnic issues and other stories that the mainstream media journalists would normally shy away from.

In fact, this new breed of journalists is beginning to shape the way news is being reported and is challenging the culture of silence that surrounds sensitive issues. It definitely has paved the way for a journalistic revolution in Malaysia.

Just imagine that to date, they have collectively published over 1900 videos and over 2000 articles. I can see from the keenness and determination that they have shown that we have only witnessed the beginnings of citizen journalism in Malaysia.

I am also very proud to hear that Penang CJs have produced the highest number of videos since the start of the programme. To date, they have produced over 800 videos.

With the advent of new technology, Citizen Journalists have had to learn to adopt new ways to reach and engage their audience. I believe through the new portal, the have done just that.

With the addition of extensive social media modules and the adoption of new ranking system among the CJs, I am also confident that these innovations will result in a more conducive environment for the CJs to produce their content and lead to even more professional reporting by CJs.

In fact, I have been told that the new portal is already making waves even though it is just less than two months old with almost 100,000 visitors and page views well over 100,000.

Once again, I believe this is just the beginning for the CJs, with the new portal and more training sessions being conducted throughout the country, and that this movement will continue to set new benchmark and to lead the opinions of the future.

For the CJs, you must understand that you have an important role to play in the world of journalism. As they say, the pen is mightier than the sword. You have a responsibility to the society at large. Always uphold the truth and nothing else. And you can never be wrong. Opinion is free but facts are sacred - this is a rule that is simple but sometimes forgotten even by celebrated journalists.

News value can not ignore humanity, professionalism and integrity. If we report about matters that touches us as part of humanity in a professional and expert manner imbued with integrity, this will always make a great story. Professionalims requires you to make it as simple as possible so that the issue is easily understood. For instance your theme for this workshop is simple : change. Report it with humanity, professionalism and integrity – you will have succeeded.

There is one matter which I wish to share with you that is unrelated to tonight's proceedings and yet touches us all. It concerns our friend Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan, the co-chair of Bersih. I wish to condemn not those who harrassed her with a burger protest nor those army veterans who performed a butt dance in front of her house. They are beyond redemption and it is beneath all decent human beings to even respond to their antics.

However, Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur(DBKL) and the Deputy IGP Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar deserves to be condemned for shaming Malaysia throughout the world by not acting against them. They had allowed men to practically sexually harass her, a gross intrusion of privacy and even served beef in front of her house, when they know she is a vegetarian and a Hindu.

Datuk Ambiga has not committed any criminal offence. She has not injured anyone nor harmed anyone with C4 plastic explosives. Neither has she stolen any public funds to buy condos instead of rearing cows. As a former President of the Bar Council, she upholds the rule of law to ensure justice is done. And yet she is vilified in a manner as if she is a greater threat to the nation than drug dealers or child kidnappers - to be imprisoned and her citizenship stripped.

Her only crime is to defy the police and the BN Federal government by being part of Bersih 3.0 that mobilized 300,000 Malaysians in the largest peaceful gathering in Malaysian history pressing for clean, free and fair elections. BN is now seeking revenge with a tit-for-tat demonstration at her home, a gross intrusion of privacy that is condoned by both DBKL and the police.

To those who say that Datuk Ambiga should not be breaking the law, the black American nobel laureate Martin Luther King wrote,

"We should never forget that everything Adolf Hitler did in Germany was 'legal' and everything the Hungarian freedom fighters did in Hungary was 'illegal'. The willingness to accept the penalty for breaking the unjust law is what makes civil disobedience a moral act and not merely an act of lawbreaking."

I am honoured to be here today to launch the new CJMY portal and to be among a new breed of news gatherers called Citizen Journalists with humanity, professionalism and integrity. I wish you all a fruitful and meaningful time here. Thank you for inviting me and for allowing me to share a place in this special and momentous occasion.

Thank you and I wish you all the best.

*Lim Guan Eng, Penang Chief Minister