Malaysian blogger Sheih has released a set of graphics you can display on your blog to show your support to Malaysian bloggers.
The story is long, but let me give you a condensed version.
During the administration of the former prime minister of Malaysia, the vow was to never censor the Internet. This has spawned countless high-profile bloggers who took their own stance at issues, especially several political blogs.
While their opinions would never be heard in the mainstream media which is in a way controlled by the government, these new breed of bloggers found solitude and a huge following for their blogs. More often that not these bloggers offered “the other side of the story” although in certain cases their arguments can be skewed or thin.
In the new government administration which practises a conservative approach to the Internet, more Malaysian bloggers are getting into trrouble. The recent outburst when high-profile blogger Jeff Ooi (I met him a few times, really nice guy) was sued for defamation led to ideas about creating a strong, united Malaysian bloggers front and prevent this from happening again.
Get your graphics here: In Honour of The Heroes
My 2.5 cents: A united front is always good. I forsee that it’s just a matter of time before some kind or association or independent body is formed to group and protect Malaysian bloggers. This “union” would make them stronger and less vunerable to attacks by the media, including what seems to be their number one enemy, the New Straits Times.
I also feel, that sometimes some of these political blogs talk a lot and show little evidence to support their claims. To the readers without a sense of personal judgement, it may be lisleading.
Take this video for example, that tries to imply that Malaysian blogging is akin to the opera, and how some bloggers feel they are above the law and apart from the rest:
[ev type="youtube" data="GRqOmzjh-KM"][/ev]
Either way, I’ll definately display the graphics on my site. If there is some kind of association in the future, I hope it will encompass all types of bloggers, not just political ones.
The last thing I need is to get caught up in someone else’s political agendas.
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{ 18 comments… read them below or add one }
Thanks Gobala, but did you put up the translation.
kenwahfu
kenwahfu,
It’s because you’re looking at an English translation that is derived from a Chinese translation of English text.
In other words:
English –> Chinese –> English
Some words will get mixed up when you double-translate..
Hi,
The following site is where I found my comments altered:-
http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=zh-CN&u=http://www.gobalakrishnan.com/language/chinese.php?u=/2007/01/malaysian-bloggers-united-to-a-stronger-front/&sa=X&oi=translate&resnum=4&ct=result&prev=/search?q=+http://+healthyrecipes2you+wordpress+com&start=50&hl=en&sa=N
Thanks
kenwahfu.
Hi, I happened to see my comment when I`m searching my blog in google. You know what, I found some sentences in my 2 comments in this blog altered and looks funny.
Can you please clarify.
Thanks
kenwahfu.
emmmm what wrong with NST? every day i live with their own news
Huh? I don’t hate NST, my girlfriend works there BTW…
i totaly agree with u bala … but why have so much of hatred towards an innocent medium such as the NST ?…we just pass down the message…. SIMPLE!
eg: let say u receive a prank mssg from someone to your phone … and u are using maxis…. will you go around screaming wanting to shut down maxis… ?? you wont’t rite?.. you should find the culprit… not the service provider … simple ….
NST is just a MEDIUM … not the source!!!!
Yes, everybody is entitle to their own view, but the one thing we must apply is pure common sense.
Ask yourself, if someone were to write something which can hurt or destroy your reputation, what will you do. I`m not referring Jeff Ooi or to any one but referring things in general. Then, you must also know that there are laws which people can use to sue you. Not only the government has the right to sue but also each an individual of us can do that.
So, why look for trouble.
Forget it man.
kenwahfu(health harmony=prosperity)
http://healthyrecipes2you.wordpress.com
I think the basic argument of the bloggers are, “Why are you stopping me from saying what I want?”
I agree, that each blogger will be talking about things from his point of view. That’s ok – if people think he’s talking crap eventually no one would read his blog.
But the fact that someone is trying to shut them down shows that what they are saying means something, and that other people share the same opinion too.
In fact if the government did nothing at all, these blogs would continue to be “an alternative view”. But when the giv cracks down on bloggers, it shows that they are trying to “hide” something, and just makes the news from bloggers all the more valuable..
First of all they are trying to control media through their Media Prima and now bloggers. Watchout for OSA/ISA, remember operasi lalang.
To all you blur guys out there… what has happened to Jeff is what which can happen to anyone (Malaysian) who has or will post a column (just like all of us here) on the internet.
Example: If Gobala doesn’t like your comment he can actually sue you too!
Dear Mr gobala,
can you examble me very this system, because i don’t understand very well?
and i would like to know aslo if you have callback calling cards,
Best Regads:
Ya, Albert is right, both of you please cool down man.
I don`t know, I havent read what Jef has written about NST. Maybe he wrote something which is really bad or which hurt NST terribly.
Can someone tells us what Jef had written.
kenwahfu(health harmony=prosperity)
http://healthyrecipes2you.wordpress.com
Man! You two need to relax It’s good Monday morning have some coffee or something..
Thanks’
Albert
Let me highlight my previously sent mssg…
“I still read Star , Sun (which is for those who isn’t willing to spend a penny .. its free rite ) … and all the other papers … i am not bias … a wise man will accept everything and make his judgements … I would say malaysia kini is a wise man’s idea .. they had something new in mind … and they have malaysiakini … what about you guys?.. a sad blog on how much u guys hate nst ?..”
My point is Mr gobala … I don;t go around creating silly websites wanting to “burnt ” down NSt … I still read all the papers …
Like it or not NST had his share of contribution to this country ( I am sure you would know what I am talkign about if you have been reading NSTT )… just like the other papers … every paper has his up’s and down … but why hate ONE paticular paper so much … by having blogs to preach hatered… the gov mite consider blocking all the bloggers someday… as an easy way out … ( now that’s my personal opinion)
And what are people like you going to do?…migrate to some other country ?… Why don;t you do it rite now?….
My point is … if all bloggers could have some sense of matuarity …. most bloggers wouldn’t suffer …
And try to improve matters … what I am saying is … look at the glass as half full and not half empty!!!….if u don’t like a publication create one of your own (like what malaysiakini did ) …
I am not bias when it comes to any reading materials !!! that;s what I meant by being B.I.A.S !!! I read them all! DO they or do you?…
By the way Brendon isn’t serving NST anymore! ( so much for all the bad remarks on him) i am just sharing my point of view …
try reading the opinion pages in the NST .. they can be real eye opener most of the times .. and lat’s illustrations.. do they least look like they are pro goverment????…
Ermm.. Mr or Miss “The Truth”…
You work for NST. All your comments aren’t backed by anything substantial. Yet you say you are “not bias”.
I’d say your entire comment is BIAS with a capital B-I-A-S. Everyone’s comments are biased to what they believe is true, just like the people you’re screaming at..
Oh yeah.. the people you’re talking about, they DO buy NST papers. Some of them were even involved in is it some way or another..
Why is it that you’re taking it so personally?
Dear Gobala … I am seriously against the whole stoopied idea of the website which u refered to … the one which hates NST so much … so this is my comment on their site …
………………………………
Oh well … I dun understand what’s the hype all about ????…. to begin with why hate NST ?… how many of u guys truly buy that paper to hate it so much?… do you guys know most of the news featured in any of our countries papers have to abid by the rules and regulation of the ruling party of this country …. which inclues The Star , Sun , Utusan , New Straits Times and every other mass print newspapers!…
I don’t understand why is everyone getting so furious over NST … I wonder if you guys are aware … almost all the news NST has can be found in the rest of the papers …nothing new! its just the tone and manner of each issue is handled in different ways … but the content is the same!…
I had a good laugh reading this ridiculous site … coz to me most of you guys don;t deserve to even comment on a papper which you guys hardly buy and read…
the rule is simple … the choice is in the consumers hands … if u like it buy it .. don’t have to shout and scream over something which isnt profitable … spend your time writting an ebook or something
I work for NST … I still read Star , Sun (which is for those who isnt willing to spend a penny .. its free rite ) … and all the other papers … i am not bias … a wise man will accept everything and make his judgements … I would say malaysia kini is a wise man’s idea .. they had something new in mind … and they have malaysiakini … what about you guys?.. a sad blog on how much u guys hate nst ?… shame on you guys !
Insinuation is the only defence against those we elect to the helm of the nation. Where we are deprived of this natural right, tyranny results. It is not the citizen who has to prove that his allegation is true, it is his servant – the government – who have to prove that it is untrue. It is then that the government of the day may assert that it is a government by the people and for the people. Defamation suits against the masters – the citizens – are an acrimonious attempt to subvert the democratic status quo and may be seen as treason.
The people of singapore have a lot to learn from their cousins across the causeway. Keep up the good work.