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14 TELLING IT AS IT IS theSun | FRIDAY MARCH 27 2009

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thesun says

Get back our money!

THE disclosures made at the hearing
at Selangor State Assembly’s Select
Committee on Competency, Account-
ability and Transparency are telling
indeed. The testimonies and confes-
sions that state-owned companies
were cash cows for a select few must
raise more than a few eyebrows. What
transpired at a public hearing over the
past four days suggests that wives of
senior politicians paid no heed to laws,
rules, regulations and procedures and
instead chose to use these companies
as their personal and private banks.
Holidays, air-tickets, souvenirs, gifts
and other luxuries were showered on
members of Balkis – the Association
of Wives of State Elected Representa-
tives in Selangor. In some instances,
such privileges were demanded.
The money came from the state
– state-owned companies to be
precise and to an extent, companies
owned by the people of Selangor.
While the rakyat may be aston-
ished at the brazen manner in which
such extravagance was displayed, it is
astounding that those entrusted with
running these companies paid no heed
to financial rules that govern them.
Is the payment for four sets of
sports attire justified? These are some
of the questions that run through the
minds of the man-in-the-street when
he discovers that while some of his
kinsmen don’t have a roof over their
heads, there are people who are gal-
livanting around the world in the name
of welfare and at the expense of the
rakyat.
In view of what has already been
discovered, the inevitable question is:
What happens next?
While the state government may
have succeeded in exposing the
excesses of its predecessors, let’s
not forget that millions of ringgit of
people’s money was used to pay the
expenses of a few, in the process
throwing out all norms of common
decency.
The state should make every effort
to recoup whatever money that was
misused. The law should be used to
ensure that those who benefited by
abusing state funds pay back every
sen. That will be the icing on the cake
for the rakyat whose hard-earned
money was used in this series of
(mis)adventures by a select few.

When press freedom works both ways

AS a champion of press freedom
and free speech, Penang Chief
Minister Lim Guan Eng has found
himself in an unlikely position of
being accused of attempting to
silence the very institution he has
taken upon himself to defend.
When newspapers were is-
sued show-cause letters, when
a reporter from the vernacular
press was picked up “for her own
protection” under the Internal
Security Act, and when restric-
tions were imposed on political
and religious publications, Guan
Eng – a Kamunting alumnus
– was among the first to voice his
condemnation on the assault on
the fourth estate.
Thus eyebrows were raised
last year when the DAP secretary-
general banned a Malay daily from
covering his press conferences
and events following reports of his
comments on the New Economic
Policy (NEP).
Upon taking over the state
administration last year, Guan
Eng had announced that all gov-
ernment procurements in Penang
would be through open tender,
something that the NEP did not
address and encouraged cronyism
and corruption. This led to reports
that he was anti-NEP which later
took on a racist tone.
This was followed by a war
of words between him and the
newspaper with each accusing the
other of twisting words and lying
to the public.
Having attended at least one
press conference by clusive, but defended right to reply. with the press is not always a good
the chief minister her boss by saying that I argued that while one sees his idea, especially – and Guan Eng
on that issue, having he only agreed as it did point, banning a member of the acknowledges this – when one is
viewed recordings of not concern policy and press or a news organisation is not dealing with opinion shapers with
his past media brief- was more of a person- doing him any favours. How does a large readership base.
ings and conferred ality piece. he reconcile his condemnation of There are always other means
with fellow journal- “If theSun had the federal government over press to get one’s voice across – try the
ists from the various asked for it, we would controls with his own decision to popular online news portals which
Penang bureaus, I have definitely given bar certain press from his func- are ever ready to carry alternative
am of the opinion you the interview,” she tions? news and views. Yes, I am a
that in that matter as said, conceding that “Then, what you want me to He should not fear the so-called
well as another one when just over a year proponent
Down2Earth do? We can’t keep suing them. biased media as those who voted
of press
on the setting up of ago most of the main- They are a big organisation for him probably do not subscribe
by Terence Fernandez
an inter-faith com- stream press had no backed by a political party,” he to these papers or watch these freedom
mittee to promote time for the opposition, responded. stations anyway. but such
religious understanding, Guan this paper had been neutral in its It would seem that Guan Eng In the same vein, in the age
Eng was a victim of spin and as- coverage of the general election. and Umno secretary-general Datuk of a more discerning public, we
freedoms
sassination by certain media. Speaking to Guan Eng at his Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor the media should also up our work both
But he may be partly to blame office on Tuesday, one could not share something in common in ante in reporting the facts and be ways. You
on another incident which the help but be sympathetic but at their treatment of “agenda-mooted responsible and articulate in our can whack
press in Penang have been abuzz the same time spot the flaw in his media”. The latter had barred assessment of a situation. me but at
with over the last two weeks, when argument. several news groups, including Readers would sense when we
he had a run-in with almost every “Whatever I say seems to be popular online portals, from are playing favourites and if we least give
newspaper and television station spun and twisted to fit someone’s Umno’s general assembly due to lose our credibility with them, it me an
when he apparently reneged on agenda,” he lamented. their “sickening” coverage and will be an uphill task regaining opportunity
a promise not to give anymore This seemingly resonates with reports on the party. their trust. to state my
exclusive interviews. allegations from another senior Many in Umno, including In such a situation as the chief
When word got out that he state official that the order is out to newly-appointed Youth chief minister has been embroiled in,
case.”
had given one to an English daily, demonise the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) Khairy Jamaluddin were not in nobody wins when emotions
Penang Chief
there was hell to pay when tan- government in the mainstream favour of this decision for fear of rule the day and civilised rules of
Minister Lim
trums were thrown and he was media. alienating younger members and engagement are thrown out the
Guan Eng
accused of playing favourites, with As for the English paper that voters who regard these news window.
one other English daily writing a criticised his administration, Guan portals as giving the gospel truth.
scathing editorial on his one year Eng said he had written a reply However, Guan Eng at least
anniversary as chief minister, the which has yet to be published. redeems himself by conceding Terence is against any decision
lack of media savvy and poor pub- “Yes, I am a proponent of press that if these “banned” media were that curtails press freedom but
lic relations resulting in that paper freedom but such freedoms work to show up anyway, they were not acknowledges that the fourth estate
being “un-invited” to all functions both ways. You can whack me but going to be chased away. So this in Malaysia is cursed with the
and press conferences. at least give me an opportunity to begs the question: why uninvite burden of impartiality. He is deputy
One of his senior officers state my case,” he said. them in the first place? editor (special reports & investiga-
admitted that it was an unwise He said even if one has an The chief minister and his offic- tions) and is reachable at terence@
decision to proceed with the ex- agenda, at least accord him the ers must realise that going head-on thesundaily.com