The Truth, The Whole Truth & Anything But The Truth

PM Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had once told the citizens to tell him ‘the truth’. But obviously he didn’t like what he has heard, because Malaysian news columnists from mainstream media have been barred from writing on issues such as the anti-price hike demonstrations. In fact former PM Dr Mahathir’s criticisms of the current administration’s decisions have been blacked out in the government controlled print media - unless it's accompanied by a stronger government counter-attack.

The latest target of the AAB government clamp down has been RTM’s Chinese service call-in radio programme for current affairs. The re-branded Mandarin-language station AiFM has been told to ‘adjust’ its content from this month in compliance with a government order, meaning the Barisan Nasional members don’t like what Malaysia’s citizens are telling them.

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Since its launch early last year, the station has a strong following because of its bold discussion of sensitive issues as the language switch in primary schools, the rift between the past and present prime minister and anti-price hike demonstrations.

Apparently, the popular station’s listeners had recently called in to lambast MCA and deputy education minister Hon Choon Kim for their failure to uphold the Chinese community’s education rights. This was after the Selangor education department issued a policy to merge classes in Chinese primary schools, to make up to 45 pupils per class.

45 in a class? How the f**k will the teachers cope, and what sort of supervision, let alone education, will the pupils received?

The condemnation by the Chinese community of the terrible policy and the MCA’s failure to prevent that, was the last straw for some quarters, guess who? That target of the Chinese wrathful calls decided to exploit the information ministry’s directive to ‘adjust’ as an excuse to axe the programme because of the embarrassing and damaging on-air discussions.

For a start, the ‘Morning Topic’ host Wang Piao Ming has been cold storaged.

But when the office of Information Minister Zainuddin Maidin instructed that the programme be terminated, it did so without the knowledge of his deputy Chia Kwang Chye who oversees Mandarin radio stations.

Chia of course being in the Gerakan Party, wasn’t going to have any bar of that – and as far as the Gerakan Party was concerned, screw the bloody MCA. On hearing of the termination order, Chia announced at a press conference that the programme would be maintained but that adjustments would be made to improve and make the station more popular.

Improve and make the station more popular?

Right royal bullshit! It’ has been precisely that (the popularity of its service) that had led to the clampdown, so it’s a solid 100% proof spin from Chia.

Of course Chia panicked - he was sh*t scared that the Chiunese community's condemnation would fall squarely on him, for wasn’t he the deputy Info Minister?

Thus he had to act to prevent the station from closing down. His action wasn’t altruistic or righteous, but simply to protect his political backside, but whatever, there’s no denying Chia saved the station from shutdown, OK, for selfish political reason, which is more than I can say for those who instigated for its closure.

Subsequently, the radio station confirmed in a statement that adjustments would be made. But while the programme would be retained, the main host would be replaced.

During a week of transition from June 26-30, call-in and call-out sessions were banned, but the two secondary hosts, replacements for ousted original host Wang Piao Ming, sent out Da Vinci codes about them being pissed off with the revised and restricted format.

They played Mandarin songs with names related to the closure, like ‘Tell the Truth’, ‘Silence is Golden’, and ‘Something that cannot be told’.

'Tell the Truth'? Sure, as my posting title indicates, the government would love to hear 'The Truth, The Whole Truth & Anything But The Truth.'

They then added in a bit of ‘sabotage’ by giving out the phone number of the Public Complaints Bureau, advising listeners to ring in to complain of their dissatisfaction. Naturally, angry fingers are now pointed at Hon Choon Kim and MCA as being the sh*t stirrers who persuaded Zainuddin to clamp down.

However, Hon's office has denied the allegation, adding that his ministry welcomes opinions and criticism. What bullsh*t, though I feel somewhat sorry for the MCA because education policies are made by UMNO without any consultation with the MCA.

The MCA members have suffered what the Chinese would describe as 'air kow haw parng teng' (mutes stung by hornets). They felt the political pain (of UMNO's unilateral policy) but couldn't cry out (to complain) to Tai Koh.

Well, as for the muzzling of AiFM, Pak Lah, cakap ta’serupa bikin lah! Your government fails to walk your talk!