Controversial Umno mouthpiece, Utusan Malaysia, must transform itself if it wishes to stay relevant, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said today.
The Malay-language daily pushes Umno’s agenda — often through racially-tinged articles against the party’s rivals — but Najib urged the 72-year-old newspaper to be more than just the party’s mouthpiece.
“I understand that sensational news sells... especially with that ‘one person,’” he said in a veiled reference to Utusan Malaysia’s constant attacks on Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
“But you must also be a medium to build an intellectual culture, a critical society,” the Umno president added.
I applaud the PM's statement on this issue and the brave admission that Utusan is UMNO's mouthpiece, a Freudian slip perhaps?
At the same time, most humbly, I would suggest that the PM can direct his many subordinates in his department to identify:
* how it is to transform itself
* how it can make amends for its previous controversial reports
* how it should NOT make anymore racially-tinged reports
* how it should observe journalistic principles
* how it could have another look at its editorial policies/practices
* how it could practise objectivity in reporting without being UMNO's mouthpiece
* how it could bridge the racial divide in Malaysia and become a tool for creating racial harmony and nation-building
* how it should avoid sensationalizing news on that 'ONE person' as mentioned in that report
* how it can build an intellectual culture
* how it can develop a critical society
I am sure if firm guidelines (that go beyond this statement) were to come from the PM and his department, there can be a great difference in the harmony of our nation.
Decades ago as a student, I used to read Utusan Malaysia and Berita Harian to improve my fluency in Bahasa Malaysia. I love the language and believe it or not, the first book I wrote in 1983 was not in English but in Bahasa Malaysia entitled "Buku Panduan Alam Sekitar" which was published in late 1983. And that is largely due to the exposure I had from UM and BH, not forgetting the many Malay novels I read such as my favorite Rantau Sepanjang Jalan (Datuk Haji Shahnon Ahmad), Merahnya Merah (Iwan Simatupang), Anak Bumi Tercinta (Fatimah Busu), Salina (A. Samad Said) and many cerpen (short stories) that I love by Fatimah Busu.
Honestly, I long and dream of a time when the MSM in our country is free, objective and can be a tool to develop mastery of the language and a nation-building tool.
Could this be the beginning of the realization of a dream or is it only window-dressing after the Sibu by-election?
Well, only time will tell. In the mean time, let's hope for the best and see the next development/announcement.
Anonymous Never fear, Moo is (still) here, he'll be giving away awards from the paper mill to Kutuksan on the morrow.
~wits0~