Don't Quote Us Bloggers

Seems like the BN govt are going all out to dismiss bloggers as INCREDIBLE. And they are right.

incredible (oxford) • adjective 1 impossible or hard to believe. 2 informal extraordinarily good.

The govt reckons we are unbelieveable (1) and we reckon we are extraordinarily good (2).

The Malaysian public have to make up their own minds who to believe. The politicians OR the bloggers.

Before you make your decision, just let me remind you that NO blogger has yet been accused (much less convicted) of corruption, abuse of power, perverting justice, building castles in Klang, importing illegal timber, buying private jets with public money, guaranteeing ridiculous profits to crony companies, releasing detainees for money, sexual misconduct, blowing up foreign women with military explosives, threatening to bathe unwieldy knives in the blood of Chinese nor repeatedly refer to 60% of Malaysia's population as a bunch of insane bloodthirsty retards liable to run amok at a drop of hat.

More press articles about this political campaign to discredit bloggers below.

Don't Quote Blog Websites, Newspapers Told
March 20, 2007 21:06 PM

KUALA LUMPUR, March 20 (Bernama) -- Information Minister Datuk Seri Zainuddin Maidin today asked newspapers not to quote from blog websites when writing news stories as the source of the information cannot be considered authoritative.

He hoped newspapers would be more responsible by quoting only authoritative sources as many bloggers were relying on newspapers for credibility.

The minister said he was disappointed as there were blog websites that have not been updated and carried inaccurate information, causing uneasiness and confusion to people surfing the websites.

"The information are posted on the blogs by people with no authority. Why you as journalists have to quote a blog website as the source of your story and then publish the news in the newspaper that has authority?" he asked.

"The information posted on the blog website may be something provocative, politically motivated, inaccurate and are mostly rumours floated for the interests of certain parties," he said.

"You (journalists) should not allow your readers to believe blog websites as a reliable source," he said when commenting on the trend among newspapers to attribute blog websites as the source, hence indirectly promoting them.

Zainuddin advised readers suspicious of the information posted on blog websites to refer to the mainstream media to get the true picture.

He said journalists who quoted websites are actually not being fair to themselves, to their readers and newspapers for picking up a doubtful source and providing space in newspapers for a person whose identity was unknown.

He said the move would create problems to journalists and their newspapers if what was reported was not true, exposing them to the risk of being sued.

Zainuddin hoped newspapers would not give credit to blog websites as they could become influential and become widespread.

Saying that there was no need to ban blog websites, he urged bloggers to be more responsible.

Zainuddin said the Government could control the bloggers by way of legislation although his ministry did not have the power to do so.

Balanced Reporting Can Counter Internet Influence, Says Fu
March 17, 2007 13:08 PM

KUANTAN, March 17 (Bernama) -- Keen competition in news gathering must abide by the journalism tenets to avoid sensitive issues from being highlighted, Internal Security Deputy Minister Datuk Fu Ah Kiow said.

Despite the challenges posed by the Internet, an information superhighway, the mainstream media must not waiver from giving the correct and accurate picture of an event or an incident to the people, he said.

He said journalists must adhere to provisions in the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984 and be responsible in discharging their duties.

"As the deputy minister responsible in enforcing the Act, sometimes I've to call up to remind the media concerned when sensitive issues are published.

"While some accepted the reprimand, others feel I am a super media editor," he said when speaking at a "dinner-with-the-media" here last night.

Fu said the media must practise balanced reporting unlike the Internet which had no specific guidelines.

"I hope the prevailing close government-media relations will be maintained for the good of both parties. I am willing to accept criticisms and comments from the media and the people, especially transparent and constructive ideas," he said.

The print and electronic media coverage could convey the message to the authorities in rectifying weaknesses in the civil service in line with the government's serious drive to improve the public delivery system, he added.