SEAPA -- Southest Asian Press Alliance

Malaysiakini Seeking Opposition Support to Clear Name, Says Zainuddin
By: Burnama
February 13, 2001

KUALA LUMPUR -- Local Internet news portal Malaysiakini.com did not further the cause of freedom by its seeking the support of opposition parties, said Parliamentary Secretary to the Information Ministry Datuk Zainuddin Maidin

He said Malaysiakini had sought the help of the DAP and Parti Rakyat Malaysia (PRM) to clear its name over its funding controversy on its alleged link to George Soros, the international currency speculator.

"Statements by leaders of the two parties were run in Malaysiakini's website together with comments by writers known to be supporters of the opposition," he told Bernama today.

Zainuddin said Malaysiakini editor-in-chief Steven Gan had refused to be interviewed by RTM on the excuse that RTM was one-sided.

"I would like to ask is it not bias on the part of Malaysiakini for the news reports it ran that came only from one side and in the form of sensationalism?" he asked.

"Today alone, a major portion of its news is in sensational form and giving a picture as though Malaysia is gripped by economic and political pressures and turmoil."

He said the failure of Malaysiakini reporters to obtain government accreditation did not mean other reporters face the same fate.

Zainuddin said reporters of foreign news agencies have been accredited and they are free to cover events in the country.

"It is surprising to note that foreign reporters, including websites, that once railed against the Prime Minister for taking Soros to task, now loathe to be linked to Soros," he said.

KUALA LUMPUR -- Information Ministry Parliamentary Secretary Senator Datuk Zainuddin Maidin today refuted claims by certain quarters that there was no freedom for journalists in this country to do coverage on ministers.

Zainuddin, or better known as Zam, said that in Malaysia, the people could see that the prime minister and also other ministers, from the past leadership right up to the leadership of Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad, being surrounded by journalists at close range.

"On the other hand in Britain or the United States, we can see the British prime minister or US president being interviewed by journalists only from a distance and as though they are listening to the speeches of the prime minister or president concerned," he told Bernama, here today.

He said it was not proper to make such claims merely because journalists from the internet portal Malaysiakini.com were not allowed to attend any press conferences involving Malaysian cabinet ministers.

"Malaysaikini (reporters) are barred from covering the press conferences not because they are critical of the government but because their credibility is doubtful," he said.

Zainuddin said the latest report by the Far Eastern Economic Review dated Feb 8 which carried an interview with "rogue" currency speculator George Soros, titled "Levelling the Field" and quoting that Malaysiakini as a media organisation which received aid from "Open Society Fund" owned by Soros, proved that Malaysiakini's credibility was doubtful.

Zainuddin claimed that he also had information that Malaysiakini chief editor Steven Gan had once worked for a newspaper which was anti-government in this country.

On efforts by certain quarters to boycott the media which were claimed to be pro-government, he said the efforts appeared to be ineffective.

"Now we see the viewership for TV3 and RTM had increased and the circulation of the major newspapers in the country had also gone up, this shows that these newspapers which employed ethical and professional journalists would continue to enjoy high credibility," he added.