KUALA LUMPUR, June 26 ― Umno division leader Datuk Syed Ali Alhabshee defended today his call for government-linked companies (GLCs) to stop advertising in The Edge for what he deemed as “unethical” reporting of MARA Inc’s controversial Australian property earlier this week.
The Cheras Umno leader denied he was attempting to muzzle media critical of the government, saying he supported punitive actions against Umno-linked Malay broadsheet Utusan Malaysia should it publish libelous articles.
“We don't mind if they want to report or be critical of the government but the reporting must be done ethically. They must verify their facts and not just publish anything based on hearsay,” Syed Ali, who was appointed as the new Perbadanan Nasional Bhd chairman three days ago, told Malay Mail Online.
“And this goes out to all the media, even Utusan. Just because it is linked to the government doesn't mean it can just publish anything.
“To me, if they have been continuously sued and lost then all of the board members should be sacked. Why keep them? We should sack them so they cannot bring us more shame,” he added.
Utusan Malaysia has been repeatedly accused by its detractors of fabricating its reports to incite racial hatred and have lost several suits in the recent past, mostly on issues relating to the predominantly Chinese opposition party DAP.
Syed Ali had made the GLC boycott call on The Edge in his blog yesterday, where he also blasted news portals Malaysiakini, The Malaysian Insider and whistleblower site Sarawak Report for their alleged lopsided reporting.
He said his call for state-owned firms to stop advertising with the business paper was in line with GLCs' “responsibility” to uphold Malaysia's name and safeguard its image.
He claimed the government has been fair in letting media outfits operate, but cautioned that they should not challenge the government’s authority.
“I cannot compromise anymore with The Edge and a few other websites like Sarawak Report and blogs like The Malaysian Insider and Malaysiakini which have clearly put aside journalistic ethics in their reports.
“In my view, the government has given enough room to the media and blogs to operate, but not for them to challenge the state's authority,” he said.
In a damning news report published Tuesday, Australian news outlet The Age incriminated top MARA Inc officials and two “elite” Malay businessmen to the questionable purchase of a Melbourne property said to be inflated by A$4.75 million (RM13.7 million).
According to the Australian daily, an eight month-long investigation by Fairfax Media, its parent publishing house, revealed that this group of “super-rich Malaysian officials” had spent government investment funds to push up the price of the student housing block that was built for A$17.8 million but inflated by A$4.75 million to A$22.5 million.
Syed Ali said media reports on the issue should be fair and not rely on a single source; however he did not state which part of the media reports were unverified.
