No press freedom in Malaysia

Malaysia has warned Philippine media organizations that they could face charges for feeding the public with false reports on the offensive operations against Sultan Jamalul Kiram III’s forces now in Sabah.

Malaysian Defense Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi also said that further reporting of baseless and unfounded reports could further strain the relations between the two countries. According to Hamidi, this warning was issued because media were publishing reports accusing  Malaysia of human rights violations against Filipino Muslims. Hamidi called on Philippine media to write only the truth.

But our media practitioners, mostly veterans, who are now in Malaysia, could never report any untruth. They have the integrity and experience, and we are no strangers to being in the middle of conflict. In fact, they have so often risked their lives to report the truth as it happened. It is a fact, and this can be seen in pictures and footage, that people are being abused and harassed, and Malaysia cannot deny this even if it pretends it is not happening.

Hamidi is used to a controlled media which, since hostilities in Sabah erupted, have been restrained by a news blackout. Note that only Malaysian media outfits were authorized to give information about the Sabah standoff, while foreign media outfits were given no access to information. Is this the way Malaysia practices freedom of the press?

It doesn’t speak well of Malaysia to threaten our media. Or that Malaysian media do not report what its government is doing and only report what is good about its government and for its image. It is not the way Philippine media work. Philippine media will never be intimidated and will continue to do their job.

 —BENJIE B. DIONISIO,

former Daily Express correspondent,

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