Of late, bloggers seem to attract increasing flacks from government officials and ruling party members. There have been numerous criticisms and disparaging comments, including one that branded bloggers as “berok” although some good brains and distinguished individuals, some from their own ranks, are also regular bloggers. Of course the slur could have been deliberately aimed at some of them too but conveniently disguised as broadside for all bloggers.
In The Malay Mail, February 20, the Minister of Culture, Arts and Heritage, Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim, commented on the current blogging trend in the country. This was followed by the Minister of Youth and Sports, Datuk Seri Azalina Othman, voicing her opinions on the same topic two days later.
In both cases the remarks seemed to be intended specifically at some opposition members or certain anti ruling-party individuals relating to their use (or misuse and abuse) of blogs for purposes of campaigning for the forthcoming general elections.
Among other things, Datuk Seri Rais said that “blog-bashing is not our culture – and that bloggers should evaluate themselves before indulging in an unhealthy culture of bashing others, including the prime minister, ministers, and other government leaders. This was a challenge to the Barisan Nasional brought about by the general election, but it’s not the nature of BN leaders to resort to using blogsites in their campaigns”. The gist of what Datuk Seri Azalina said was that “rumour-mongering bloggers are cowards and a nuisance to UMNO. They may think they can get away with it but they don’t realise that they are actually being monitored”.
I do not generally disagree too much with what either of them said. I sympathise with those being targeted in the blogs. I agree fully that using the blog to bash others is an unhealthy culture, no matter who is being bashed – be he or she a wayward minor official or the Prime Minister. And I also agree that rumour-mongering, whatever the motivations and regardless of the medium, is just wrong and immoral.
However, I must add that as much as blog-bashing is wrong, so is blogger-bashing!
The downsides associated with blogging must never take away the overall merit and usefulness of blogs in general. Certainly these drawbacks must never be used as excuse for the blanket debunking or rejection of everything coming through the blogs. Abuse aside, the information, views, thoughts, ideas, and critiques can be very useful feedback for the government, its leaders and public officials, provided they are willing to sincerely listen with an open mind.
And we must be able to differentiate between bashing and legitimate criticisms; and between half-truths and total falsehood. And as for rumours, although they can include everything from half-truths to colourful exaggerations and to total fabrications, their believability still essentially depends to a large extent on perception outside the blog. It is unlikely, for example, that any unsubstantiated rumours can really hurt one who is truly honest, fair, responsible, and genuinely committed to serving the people; and perceived to be so.
As I see it, legitimate criticism is one that the person making it genuinely and sincerely believes to be true (having thought through the issue and possibly widely discussed it with many others) and appropriately made. The term “appropriately made” is significant. For example, a blatantly wrong practice conveniently overlooked or quietly blessed, or legitimate criticisms arrogantly dismissed or repeatedly ignored will justify being bluntly, repeatedly, and perhaps even sarcastically and cynically highlighted. This is not bashing.
On the other hand, a concerted condemnation and an overdose of criticism that is unfair and unjustified, taken out of proportion may constitute bashing, although the criticisms may not necessarily be based on total untruth. The real injustice and unfairness in this case is the more-than-fair hurt possibly caused to the individual being unfairly criticized. As I said at the beginning, this is not right – but a “challenge” to the Barisan Nasional Government? With the BN’s ready access to the more powerful print, radio and TV media, etc., calling this a “challenge” actually makes it sound almost insulting to the BN juggernaut.
The blog, in effect, is really still quite limited in its reach for the purpose of mass domestic information dissemination. Its access may be global but it is still generally less-readily and conveniently available to all. Its local readership volume would still be very modest compared to, say, the newspapers or television, which may not always be willing to accommodate some of the more critical if sincere and non-partisan views of the men in the street. The blog provides a means for this purpose. And this should be something to be welcomed!
It is also not too different from the other communication media, including its operations under the law. If a “killing” (to use Rais Yatim’s term) had been made based on absolute falsehood, it would not really matter whether it was done verbally, through a blog, TV, or the mainstream newspapers. The remedy is the same.
The difficulty only arises when the comments or criticisms might not be total falsehood, making pursuing the available remedy inconvenient, awkward, and possibly risky for the supposedly aggrieved party. The blogger on the other hand is always aware that he or she can at anytime be called to account for what he or she writes if the line is crossed – clearly what Azalina’s veiled threat and reminder was all about, when she said “they may think they can get away with it but they are actually being monitored”. This interesting balance can only make all parties more responsible, honest, and truthful – again, something to be welcomed!
I sincerely hope and believe the blogs can serve a bigger and higher purpose in spite of its abuse by some as a tool of deceit, hatred, and selfish ambition. The government, its ministers, and other leaders should be enlightened and farsighted enough to see this, and not be unwittingly frustrated into unwisely and shortsightedly attacking the blogs and all bloggers – grudgingly and uncaringly throwing out the baby with the bath!
As I had said earlier on, I agree totally with the Culture, Arts and Heritage Minister that blog-bashing should not be a culture; but I would repeat, neither should blogger-bashing. The Minister, in his comments, also cautioned those who blog for condemning everybody but themselves, quoting the Malay adage “when the forefinger points to the front the thumb points to your chest”.
I agree with this too – although he himself seems to be doing some lively pointing!
In The Malay Mail, February 20, the Minister of Culture, Arts and Heritage, Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim, commented on the current blogging trend in the country. This was followed by the Minister of Youth and Sports, Datuk Seri Azalina Othman, voicing her opinions on the same topic two days later.
In both cases the remarks seemed to be intended specifically at some opposition members or certain anti ruling-party individuals relating to their use (or misuse and abuse) of blogs for purposes of campaigning for the forthcoming general elections.
Among other things, Datuk Seri Rais said that “blog-bashing is not our culture – and that bloggers should evaluate themselves before indulging in an unhealthy culture of bashing others, including the prime minister, ministers, and other government leaders. This was a challenge to the Barisan Nasional brought about by the general election, but it’s not the nature of BN leaders to resort to using blogsites in their campaigns”. The gist of what Datuk Seri Azalina said was that “rumour-mongering bloggers are cowards and a nuisance to UMNO. They may think they can get away with it but they don’t realise that they are actually being monitored”.
I do not generally disagree too much with what either of them said. I sympathise with those being targeted in the blogs. I agree fully that using the blog to bash others is an unhealthy culture, no matter who is being bashed – be he or she a wayward minor official or the Prime Minister. And I also agree that rumour-mongering, whatever the motivations and regardless of the medium, is just wrong and immoral.
However, I must add that as much as blog-bashing is wrong, so is blogger-bashing!
The downsides associated with blogging must never take away the overall merit and usefulness of blogs in general. Certainly these drawbacks must never be used as excuse for the blanket debunking or rejection of everything coming through the blogs. Abuse aside, the information, views, thoughts, ideas, and critiques can be very useful feedback for the government, its leaders and public officials, provided they are willing to sincerely listen with an open mind.
And we must be able to differentiate between bashing and legitimate criticisms; and between half-truths and total falsehood. And as for rumours, although they can include everything from half-truths to colourful exaggerations and to total fabrications, their believability still essentially depends to a large extent on perception outside the blog. It is unlikely, for example, that any unsubstantiated rumours can really hurt one who is truly honest, fair, responsible, and genuinely committed to serving the people; and perceived to be so.
As I see it, legitimate criticism is one that the person making it genuinely and sincerely believes to be true (having thought through the issue and possibly widely discussed it with many others) and appropriately made. The term “appropriately made” is significant. For example, a blatantly wrong practice conveniently overlooked or quietly blessed, or legitimate criticisms arrogantly dismissed or repeatedly ignored will justify being bluntly, repeatedly, and perhaps even sarcastically and cynically highlighted. This is not bashing.
On the other hand, a concerted condemnation and an overdose of criticism that is unfair and unjustified, taken out of proportion may constitute bashing, although the criticisms may not necessarily be based on total untruth. The real injustice and unfairness in this case is the more-than-fair hurt possibly caused to the individual being unfairly criticized. As I said at the beginning, this is not right – but a “challenge” to the Barisan Nasional Government? With the BN’s ready access to the more powerful print, radio and TV media, etc., calling this a “challenge” actually makes it sound almost insulting to the BN juggernaut.
The blog, in effect, is really still quite limited in its reach for the purpose of mass domestic information dissemination. Its access may be global but it is still generally less-readily and conveniently available to all. Its local readership volume would still be very modest compared to, say, the newspapers or television, which may not always be willing to accommodate some of the more critical if sincere and non-partisan views of the men in the street. The blog provides a means for this purpose. And this should be something to be welcomed!
It is also not too different from the other communication media, including its operations under the law. If a “killing” (to use Rais Yatim’s term) had been made based on absolute falsehood, it would not really matter whether it was done verbally, through a blog, TV, or the mainstream newspapers. The remedy is the same.
The difficulty only arises when the comments or criticisms might not be total falsehood, making pursuing the available remedy inconvenient, awkward, and possibly risky for the supposedly aggrieved party. The blogger on the other hand is always aware that he or she can at anytime be called to account for what he or she writes if the line is crossed – clearly what Azalina’s veiled threat and reminder was all about, when she said “they may think they can get away with it but they are actually being monitored”. This interesting balance can only make all parties more responsible, honest, and truthful – again, something to be welcomed!
I sincerely hope and believe the blogs can serve a bigger and higher purpose in spite of its abuse by some as a tool of deceit, hatred, and selfish ambition. The government, its ministers, and other leaders should be enlightened and farsighted enough to see this, and not be unwittingly frustrated into unwisely and shortsightedly attacking the blogs and all bloggers – grudgingly and uncaringly throwing out the baby with the bath!
As I had said earlier on, I agree totally with the Culture, Arts and Heritage Minister that blog-bashing should not be a culture; but I would repeat, neither should blogger-bashing. The Minister, in his comments, also cautioned those who blog for condemning everybody but themselves, quoting the Malay adage “when the forefinger points to the front the thumb points to your chest”.
I agree with this too – although he himself seems to be doing some lively pointing!
2 comments:
Do they realise that by highlighting the existence of such blogs in the more popular/accessible media, thay are actually attracting more people to read such blogs? Of course blog-bashing isnt in our culture..that would be too obvious...we bash people from behind, more akin to back-stabbing. Also, considering that only a small percentage of the people are computer literate (seriously, how many politicians even know how to use email?) and a smaller percentage of that have access to computers to enable blogging, how can it even become a cultural phenomenon?
I totally agree with you Ayah, although I suspect that a call to block access to blogger sites will be imminent..like in China.
And seriously, are they saying that tax payers are paying for a team of blog monitors, to monitor tax paying bloggers? How about they spend those tax funds on something more constructive, like enabling Malaysians living abroad to vote???
I sincerely hope not - it will be a real loss if they do what China does, but more significantly it will confirm how pathetically stupid and shortsighted our leaders are! I really hope you are wrong and allay somewhat our fear of being led by a bunch of mainly you know-what...
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