Gagging Phang's corruption talk
They should have just gone and get some parrots and train them to say what they want said and put the parrots on live TV.
Terence Fernandez as we well know is deputy editor at English daily The Sun. Recently he tells us of back room drama, on air distractions and commercial break efforts to steer discussions (of a ‘live’ talk show on TV) in particular direction.
Terence who is known for his strong anti-corruption stand was recently invited by Bernama TV to be a panelist of the channel’s Hello Malaysia' live talk show.
Also on the panel was Tan Sri Robert Phang, Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission (MACC) advisory committee member. The topic of discussion was “Graft and Corruption- The Diabolical Challenges Ahead- a topic very close to Terence’s heart so to speak.
In his Down2Earth column in the Sun newspaper a few days ago, Terence wrote how the host of the talk show gestured to him to tone down as the host had received instructions from the producers to control Terence each time a statement is deemed controversia” was made. And as discussions continued said Terence, “we kept cutting to commercial breaks”. That apart viewers’ opinions via phone ins were not allowed to go through.
According to Terence he later discovered there were instructions to cancel the call-ins due to potential adverse remarks of callers. There were even instructions to pull the plug off on the programme half an hour after it went on air. And repeats of the show were cancelled. A top management meeting said Terence was also scheduled to review the handling of the show.
Terence penned off by saying this and I quote verbatim: “ But one thing is for sure, as I told 70 year old Phang ( MACC advisory committee member) on air, we won’t see the kind of changes to fighting graft that we want in his lifetime. And if even an open dialogue on the topic can elicit attempts to stifle the discussion and muzzle the media, the challenges ahead are diabolical indeed”.
How true.If one is scared of unfavourable comments and opinions why have the discussion live on TV in the first place? Why invite panelists who are brave to speak their mind sincerely? End of story. Everybody happy?
These callers, if any, would have been from the pro-Ong Ticket side..........
ReplyDeleteAnon 9:33
ReplyDeletePlease , those callers could have come from DAP chaps or from anybody since PKFZ is a big issue and everyone is interested to know . As from the pro-Ong's people , they are not interested anymore as Wee to them is but a dying hornet with a sting equivalent to a ant bite .
ahahaha JT4OTK
ReplyDeletewat you expect ah from UMN0 after 50 years?
AFter robert Kuok sold sugar industry to UmN0 -harga teh tarik pon naik serta merta.
UMN0 says "don;t take so much sugar - it is bad for your health"
Teh Tarik Perminat
wat you expect ah from UMN0 after 50 years?
ReplyDeleteI expect an UMNO different from an UMNO that existed before 308 . Everyone is evolving , and changing and don't expect an overnight change , as Rome was never built in a day . UMNO paid for their excesses and abuses and I am not saying they have changed . The process is still ongoing , so is MCA as the abuses of power by the previous MCA presidents culminated in 308 tsunami . Today Ong and CSL wants to rid MCA of the past abuses and its no easy walk for them as there are obstacles lining their path .
::. Today Ong and CSL wants to rid MCA of the past abuses and its no easy walk for them as there are obstacles lining their path .::::
ReplyDeleteOTK maybe. CSL - maybe not.
MCA - with OTK maybe.
UMNO = definitely cannot. 100% sure cannot one.
" Today Ong and CSL wants to rid MCA of the past abuses and its no easy walk for them as there are obstacles lining their path."
ReplyDeleteTrue. These obstacles are called Liow Thiong Lai, Wee Ka Siong, Chew Mei Fun and the 12 idiots.
Unfortunately they are supported by UMNO. OTK and CSL are handicapped.
Anon 11:26
ReplyDeleteJust for your info , their big sugar daddy deserting them already . I am told that UMNO does not have any more confidence in LTL and brutus gang . They have shown that they do not have the support from the egm turned special briefing where only 547 delegates showed up and the resignation of themselves and no one else . That speaks for their support . Anyone who supports this group of habis lah politicians is writing their own political obituary .
Monk. That so kah! No wonder they are so quiet.
ReplyDelete