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Sparks fly even before start of Umno assembly
The Star (5/11/2007): The Umno general assembly begins today but the sparks have started to fly with one politician hitting out at the English media for carrying opposition reports.
Information Minister Datuk Seri Zainuddin Maidin said some media were being used by the opposition to highlight their causes now that there was greater press freedom and transparency.
“Since it has been free, there are some mainstream papers which favour those who do not support the Government.
“Some are done in an indirect manner and some directly, especially in English papers,” he said when speaking to student leaders at the Overseas Umno Club leadership course here yesterday.
Citing the judiciary issue as an example, Information Minister Datuk Seri Zainuddin Maidin said the media had its own agenda.
“For example, (the Sultan of Perak) Sultan Azlan Shah’s speech talked about various issues but what was only highlighted was the teguran (warning) on the judiciary,” he said.
Zainuddin also claimed that young Malays such as Azmi Sharom and Amir Muhammad were being used by English papers to attack the Malays.
He said there was one case that raised “doubts over the media’s purpose” was the recent reporting of Port Klang assemblymen Datuk Zakaria Mat Deros’ new mansion although he had been cleared of corruption.
“The case is already over. He took orphans to his new house but what was highlighted was how big the house is,” he said.
Zainuddin also took a potshot at former deputy prime minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and claimed that he was not being truthful about the video clip on the alleged judge-brokering.
“The video clip is creating tunjuk perasaan (protest). This party has already been rejected by the community and only has one seat in Parliament yet they are trying to cause trouble.
“During his (Anwar’s) time, there was restrictions and he had his people in the media Now that the Prime Minister is more transparent, he is using that to attack the Malays,” he added.
Information Minister Datuk Seri Zainuddin Maidin said some media were being used by the opposition to highlight their causes now that there was greater press freedom and transparency.
“Since it has been free, there are some mainstream papers which favour those who do not support the Government.
“Some are done in an indirect manner and some directly, especially in English papers,” he said when speaking to student leaders at the Overseas Umno Club leadership course here yesterday.
Citing the judiciary issue as an example, Information Minister Datuk Seri Zainuddin Maidin said the media had its own agenda.
“For example, (the Sultan of Perak) Sultan Azlan Shah’s speech talked about various issues but what was only highlighted was the teguran (warning) on the judiciary,” he said.
Zainuddin also claimed that young Malays such as Azmi Sharom and Amir Muhammad were being used by English papers to attack the Malays.
He said there was one case that raised “doubts over the media’s purpose” was the recent reporting of Port Klang assemblymen Datuk Zakaria Mat Deros’ new mansion although he had been cleared of corruption.
“The case is already over. He took orphans to his new house but what was highlighted was how big the house is,” he said.
Zainuddin also took a potshot at former deputy prime minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and claimed that he was not being truthful about the video clip on the alleged judge-brokering.
“The video clip is creating tunjuk perasaan (protest). This party has already been rejected by the community and only has one seat in Parliament yet they are trying to cause trouble.
“During his (Anwar’s) time, there was restrictions and he had his people in the media Now that the Prime Minister is more transparent, he is using that to attack the Malays,” he added.
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