RTM to open doors to Pakatan Rakyat?

Information Minister Ahmad Shabery Cheek revealed today that Radio-Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) was free to invite anyone, including Pakatan Rakyat (PR) politicians, to appear on its programmes.

 

In a Malaysiakini report today, Shabery was quoted as saying that ‘the government’s radio and television network RTM does not have a policy barring menteris besar (MBs) or chief ministers (CM) from the opposition Pakatan Rakyat states from appearing on their programmes’.

“I believe that based on this policy, RTM is prepared to invite all quarters, including leaders from the opposition,” Shabery told the House in response to a question from Ahmad Kassim (PKR-Kuala Kedah)

Asked which programmes would be reserved for Barisan Nasional and Pakatan MBs and CMs, Shabery said he would leave it to RTM to decide based on the newsworthiness and appropriateness.

 

This statement suggests newfound ‘glasnost’ (a la Malaysia) because judging from the behaviour and attitude of Shabery’s predecessors, there appeared to be an unwritten policy of barring the Opposition before. The past information ministers often treated RTM as if it was a media institution, nay an ideological tool, meant to largely promote ruling BN’s interests.  

 

A few of the previous information ministers did try to feign ‘liberalism’, though, by allocating radio airtime to opposition politicians in a general election at a time when most of the Malaysians were snoring in the wee hours of the morning. In other words, the Opposition were not given the precious prime time that was normally allocated to the BN.

 

This notwithstanding, Shabery insisted that he’d leave it all to the RTM officials to give airtime consideration to the opposition politicians provided what the latter would want to offer or speak could be deemed, in the minds of the RTM folks, ‘newsworthy’ and ‘appropriate’.

 

So, there’s the rub. The RTM officials have the power to decide and define what ‘newsworthiness’ and ‘appropriateness’ are. This is somewhat akin to the powers that the Dewan Rakyat’s Speaker has in deciding what ‘urgent matters’ are. Many of the issues raised by the Opposition for discussions, such as the Hindraf leaders’ ISA detention, were turned down because they’re simply ‘not urgent’.

 

Given the unpleasant experience with Shabery’s predecessors, would it be a wonder if many of us would receive this ‘glasnost news’ with overcautious optimism, if not deep cynicism?

 

 

Be wary of natural habitat ‘developers’, Perak govt cautioned

According to today’s NST, Sultan Azlan Shah has instructed the Perak state government to introduce a new precondition before allowing developers and investors to develop forested areas which are rich in bio-diversity and acknowledged as natural heritage.

 

He said the precondition to be imposed should hold the developers responsible if they marred or destroyed forests while carrying out development-based projects, adding that this was to ensure that the environment remained intact.

Part of the precondition should also require the developers to take responsibility in ensuring that they secure necessary measures to protect the Orang Asli community who had inhabited the forests for generations, added the ruler.

Sultan Azlan Shah expressed his concern that forests often became victims of development while the local Orang Asli community found itself displaced due to the greed of developers and investors.

“The state government must exercise care when choosing developers and investors… make sure that only those who are interested in providing long-term benefits to the state and its people are selected.

The Perak Sultan’s observation, to my mind, is refreshing and is something that not only Perak state government should seriously take note of, but also other people in other states, such as the Kedah state government, which has been contemplating to do some logging, and of course not to forget those folks who are bent on ‘doing’ the Bakun Dam.