Saturday, July 24, 2010

Bernama dishonest or hardup reporting?

A letter to Bernama by Cheong Yin Fan
July 24 2010

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Dear Sir,

I wish to object in the strongest possible terms at your journalist’s dishonest and false reporting of a statement made by Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng at the MPPP Youth Park this morning on the ‘Little Napoleon’ Nik Ali controversy.

When asked to respond to PM Najib DPM Muhyiddin and KPI Minister Koh Tsu Koon’s criticism of Lim for speaking out at the incompetence of State Development Officer Nik Ali, Lim had replied in a few simple sentences as follows – “I got the message from both Najib and Muhyiddin. That they still want to defend Little Napoleons like Nik Ali. I thank them for the message. As for Koh who was rejected by Penang voters in the last general elections his KPI now is to follow and parrot what the Prime Minister says so Koh has indeed fulfilled his KPI.”

For Bernama to twist this clear but simple response into Lim accepting in good faith the reproach from both Najib and Muhyiddin is dishonest and false.

What is most shocking is the response from that Bernama reporter when I called her up to complain. She replied that she heard Lim Guan Eng clearly say ‘Little Napoleon’ but had left that phrase out so that the story can come out. If she had reported what I said exactly the story would not come out.

I told her firmly that we want a true statement and if that cannot be truthful then don’t publish the story. She then said she would pull out the story. Bernama has pulled out the story but did not give any explanation of the background causing some online news websites like the Malaysian Insider to pick it up and publish the false news. This is most unprofessional and unfair.

And lends suspicions that the mainstream media is out to get and frame up Lim Guan Eng by any means possible.

As Press Secretary to the Penang Chief Minister I hope that Bernama explains fully such unprofessional misconduct.

Cheong Yin Fan

[Cheong Yin Fan is Press Secretary to the Penang Chief Minister]

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It's more than dishonest and false reporting. It's hardup reporting - gian kar seow - real pariah.

12 comments:

  1. You know, I didn't get it at first until I saw the coverage on The Malaysian Insider.

    http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/guan-eng-says-livid-over-false-reporting-by-bernama/

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  2. ha2, typical of Bernama and UMNO bloggers. Sure, it will be well spinned in Malay Mail. You can get it free but take it to wrap your rubbish coz thats the rightful place.

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  3. oops sorry. there's one UMNO blogger who gets my thumbs up though I may disagree with him at times. He is a true blue UMNO. Thats AK Sakmongkol.

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  4. Had it existed then, Bernama would had twisted Churchill's 1940 speech "We shall never surrender" as "We shall surrender"

    And I thought journalism has ethics

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  5. anon 3.04pm

    sure journalism has ethics until UMNO comes running with their dirty dollars. but then, there are some who will not succumb and surely not those in the Star, Malay Mail and Utusan.

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  6. The MSM thinks that their greatest threat will come from the internet. They are wrong. Their greatest threat will come from the owners who shamelessly are controlling editorial content and spin on important events reported in the media.Ramalx

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  7. Hi Ramalx

    We should not be surprised if even members of the ruling elite read Malaysiakini and other alternative media to get the real news!

    The MSM is to fool the masses.

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  8. If one can afford the time we should read them all - the MSM, Malaysiakini, Malaysia Today, blogs, and whatever else.

    Just like food, if we don't give it a try we wouldn't know whether it tastes nice or bad, whether we like it or dislike it. Why go thru life sabotaging yourself from occasionally making wonderful, serendipitous discoveries by refusing to try out new things? But, of course, this definitely does not include stuff like illegal drugs, gambling, or sexual promiscuity (that sounds like a Virgo speaking ... according to astrologists/New Age gurus, virgo-type personalities are supposed to be very straight-laced and even emotionally constipated! hehehe. Just an aside, a well-known, nonsense-intolerant Minister Mentor of a certain extremely well-run and efficient country is a Virgo, it seems.)

    Anyway, Tuhan/Mother Nature gave us a brain. So, in our wide-ranging reading use it to sift out and discard the lies, falsehoods, spins, from what is truthful and credible.

    Explorer

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  9. KETUANAN MOO LAYU,i saw a photo of five MOO layus exiting the US Embassy, after delivering their protest letter...the irony is..they were all dressed up like MAT SALLEH...PERKASA.. WHAT HAPPEN TO KETUANAN MELAU? WHERE IS UR BAJU MELAYU AND SAMPINGS...NOT FORGETTING THE KRIS.... CAKAP KETUANAN MELAYU..TAPI GAYA MCM ORANG PTUIH..!!

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  10. Hi KT, No posting for some time now. Hope you are ok. Take care. a.p

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  11. yo a.p, was away in china, work la, thanks for the kind thoughts - cheers ;-)

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  12. Thought you had been put away in Kamunting. Could only hear from you again in 2012

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