KUALA LUMPUR, May 6 (Bernama) -- The Information Ministry is planning to use blogs as a medium to disseminate information to the people, its Minister Ahmad Shabery Cheek said.
"The ministry is planning on using blogs as a bridge to provide information and solicit views on issues raised," he said in reply to a question by Datuk Seri Dr Fong Chan Onn (BN-Alor Gajah) during the Dewan Rakyat session, here today.
Ahmad Shabery said he already had discussions with several bloggers to get their views.
"I believe they have considered what should or should not be put out. Those who break the law like like indulging in sedition or libel, I believe the laws must be used against them," he said.
Answering a question by Hamim Samuri (BN-Ledang) on the response to the programme 'Blog' over RTM1 aired for twenty minutes on Sunday, Ahmad Shabery said the programme had 200,000 viewers up till now.
"I understand from Radio Television Malaysia (RTM) that bloggers who are invited are those who are very critical of the government and this is part of the open attitude of the government today.
"There are many blogs in Malaysia and increasing every day. There are 14 million Internet users, 500,000 bloggers and more than 700 socio-political bloggers although there are also blogs on art, music and it is up to RTM's wisdom as to who qualifies to be invited for the programme.," he said.
-- BERNAMA
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
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2 comments:
Kudos to the new Information Minister. At least he acknowledges the role of the new media. Quite unlike the former Minister who refuses even to admit that the new media, including blogs, is important as a modern communication tool.
It appears that the myth of the single-party politics is not the only thing to be blown away by the recent political tsunami. The Information Ministry's plan to disseminate information through blogs shows that our basic intellect and common sense is also being blown away. Blogging started out as an inexpensive and convenient way for people to reach out to larger audiences. The motivations, up to this day, were largely egoistic - somewhat like the sharing of a diary. In an environment where the opportunity to be heard is limited, where the freedom of speech is controlled and
where the truth is often doctored, it was a matter of time before the internet/blogosphere became the battleground on which the war for justice and true freedom (usually against the establishment) would be fought. It was simply Sun Tze - never fight your enemy on terrain that is unfair to you. For the opposition, the blogosphere is a battlefield of necessity, not of choice. Can anyone blame them? They do not have the 32 radio stations and two tv stations of RTM, they have no access to UMNO-owned Media Prima's four tv stations, two radio stations, 3 dailies and countless magazines.
These political blogs were necessary because it allowed people who opposed the conventional point of view to tell their side of the story. Would the Negaraku ku song that merely articulated what went around in whispers in coffee shops, food courts and bars, be heard at all without the internet? It was funny, truthful and creative. How it could have caused such an outrage among BN leaders, I will never understand.
On the contrary, the Information Ministry not only has access to the mass media, it owns it. If it feels that it has not been quite so effective in disseminating information, it is because of several factors. One, it lacks credibility. Two, as they say of any state run stations, everything you see and hear is just medium - not rare, not well-done, just plain medium.
The present Information Minister may understand the new media better than his predecessor, but I believe there is still no need for him to go to the internet. His predecessor has no choice as he has recently been disinherited of the media. The present minister controls the media. Instead of jumping into the cyberwagon, he should start by working to render meaningless the slogans that promise "No Holds Barred" and "Telling it as it is". And it is not difficult at all. All that he needs to do is to direct his minions and his media to tell the truth.
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