WCW & co, next week’s boycott is for you
March 21, 2008
The day before yesterday, someone posed the following to me about next week’s boycott.
‘How effective will it be? How effective is your outreach?’
My answer to her : I don’t know, but should effectiveness be the only criteria for us to act if we think that what we are doing is right? You’ve heard about the boycott, so that means I have effectively outreached to you. What about you? Have you outreached to anyone?
She had no answer to my poser.
Think about it, people.
Remember the number of people who stayed away from the polling stations in previous elections, thinking ‘What good will my one vote make?’
A million like-minded people staying at home thinking the same, and then enduring another 5 years of a bullying regime, when their vote might have indeed made a difference!
They were caught up with considerations of effectiveness only, and gave no thought to doing the right thing!
Each of us who went to the polls 2 weeks ago to vote for change, would not have known how effective our vote was going to prove to be to bring about any real change, but we did what we believed to be the right thing.
Today, we have witnessed the effectiveness of our vote.
If before you were part of the multitude who did not vote, today you are part of the foundation of change in our country.
I ask you to see the boycott as an expansion of that foundation of change.
It is our way of outreaching to and waking those in the MSM industry to our changing times.
Those in the MSM industry must choose whether to side with a civil society that is pressing on for greater transparency and accountability, or to continue to remain in servitude to an oppressive regime that is struggling to resist the rising tide of change.
In truth, a great many in the MSM industry, too, wish to break free of the shackles long inflicted on them. They are, after all, part of the awakening we see around us. They, too, are part of civil society.
This boycott, then, is as much for our friends in the MSM industry as it is for you and I.
Many of our journalist and editor friends will be emboldened and encouraged to do the right thing when they begin to see that those committed to this effort are not a mere motley crew but an ever increasing number in civil society.
March 21, 2008 at 2:34 pm
Haris, thanks to you, I now have utmost believe that as long as I desire for something, irregardless if there are many that share my thoughts, I will have to exercise my right.
I was amongst the many that thought how can my 1 vote makes the difference when all I see was a whole multitude that I “thought” does not want the change. Yet, through PP I evolved and change and I am glad I went out to exercise it.
Hence when Haris came up with the boycott of MSM, I thought, hey its RM1.20 I saved and its RM1.20 they lose and it was quite a tidy sum, so I do not care much if others boycotted, as long as I do it!
Way to go, bro
March 21, 2008 at 3:28 pm
Yes. I will boycott Star next week. Ever since WCW got his title, I do not see any balanced report anymore. Worst, I saw some reports which would qualify WCW as ISA detainee under Mahathir’s rule. I felt sad in 1980’s when Star was banned. Now I feel it should be banned.
March 21, 2008 at 3:37 pm
Well I am going to save the RM1.20 for myself too and its going to be for the whole week…..
Lets show WCW that his masters in MCA is no more than licking dogs and he is no different too.
It may mean little to WCW and co….but at least I do save some money no matter how little it is….
Way to go…so lets boycott those BN lembu media for at least 1 week….
chanjoe,
Tell 10 other friends. Help to build up the numbers
March 21, 2008 at 3:54 pm
Hi Haris,
I am boycotting the MSM since the BERSIH rally last year and I don’t miss anything at all.
You are right, let’s do the right thing and the effectiveness will follow.
And will continue to spread this message across the nation!
TYKo,
Shoulder to shoulder, we can make this happen
March 21, 2008 at 4:01 pm
I will be cancelling my sub-scription for good with immediate effect . While i feel sorry to the vendor who will miss out 10c per copy , a clear message must be sent.
The boycott is gathering very strong momentum, it is just a matter of time before advertisers pull out .
Serve these boot-licking b****ds right.
March 21, 2008 at 4:12 pm
This old uncle also boycotting star. Show them who is the real master of their existence.
Old uncle,
I salute you
March 21, 2008 at 4:19 pm
I have no problem in this. I have not been buying The Star for a very long time, I would say since the Bersih Rally till now…
I don’t need MSM to tell me news. I can log on to malaysiakini, malaysia-today and many more resources besides MSM…
THanks Haris for highlighting this to everyone who is reading this blog… We will spread the message for you…
Grace,
God bless
March 21, 2008 at 4:31 pm
Haris,
I used to be addicted to MSM. I had to have it while I had my breakfast. Now I’m used to not having it at ALL.
Thanks to you and the other BIADAP guys !!
No more MSM for me until and unless they give me my monies worth
March 21, 2008 at 5:03 pm
I support the boycott.I hope the Ong Brothers(okt and okc) realise that the Star does not belong to them.The Star belong to the shareholders.
March 21, 2008 at 5:41 pm
Dear Haris,
How true it proved to be that our one vote made a whole world of difference. I’m in my twenties; didn’t vote first time around, thinking my vote didn’t matter. But this time around, i went home to vote. Not only that, I managed to convince many of my ‘chicken-hearted’ n ‘fence-sitting unbeliever’ friends, family members, colleagues to vote for change. Now that we are on a momentum, with the winds of change blowing ever strong, let the MSM feel our fury! I believe in no time the message of ‘we had enough’ will be heard by these ‘close-both-eyes-n-ears-n-conscience’MSM. Start smsing, calling n spread the message to our friends n families now n prepare ourselves for another tsunami.
March 21, 2008 at 6:01 pm
I am a journalist. Thankfully, not with the mainstream media. However, I must confess that many years ago I was a journalist working for The Star. I resigned in 1990. However, The Star of the 1970’s and 80’s bear little resemblance to The Star of today. In those days, their tagline “The People’s Paper”, meant something. No longer. Today, that tagline is a joke.
In October 1987, The Star, along with Sin Chew and several papers, were suspended for almost five months as part of Mahathir’s Operasi Lallang crackdown. The Star was never the same again after that experience, falling from a position of respectability over the years to its sorry state today.
Haris, I won’t be able to join next week’s boycott. You see, I had already cancelled my subscription early this year after almost 20 years. I would have cancelled it years ago if not for my wife and daughter who like the pullouts. And nope, I don’t miss the paper at all. Anyway, the money saved is now used for Malaysiakini.
I’m so glad I didn’t have read the rubbish which passes for political news in the mainstream papers, especially during the recent elections. Hopefully, with thousands of readers cancelling their subscriptions, the mainstream media will be forced to change its misguided editorial policies and really mean it before displaying slogans like ‘The People’s Paper’
March 21, 2008 at 7:41 pm
I will be with you guys/gals on this one. No star paper for next week.
March 21, 2008 at 8:09 pm
I have long boycotted Star for more than 2 years after noticing the bias reporting. I only read staronline and i save rm1.20 daily for my kopi (more satisfying than wasting time and money reading covered up news- take us for a ride) and all those dog licking top guns should be blamed for today’s political tsunami for no transparency and false reporting. Veery pariah…self-interest and for the sake of getting Datukship and Tansri ships (now sunken ship and “tansi”-lah).Goodbye to Star and someone from Malaysiakini should start “The Moon” for uump news- people’s newspaper for the people and preserve and protect the future of our country and future generation. All those licking dogs can enjoy their retirement funds, enough-lah. They dont care for our future. The media plays a very important part in our life and future. Downfall to those elite people who cares for money and fame for themselves.Now its time they give back to society and not be a playboy!
March 21, 2008 at 8:26 pm
A boycott of the MSM is a STATEMENT not just to the industry and its owners or shareholders. Rather, it is saying to the oppressive regime that still hasn’t really awoken to the voice of the rakyat (think Hindraf 5 and of course the rubbish from MSM) that we want change.
We want to see shackles broken free. We want to see democratic voices expressed without fear or favour. We want to see check and balance explicitly expressed in our media. We want to see jounalism that investigates and exposes evil practices. We want to see righteousness upheld and credited!
Let us continue to be the agents of change, first through the ballot boxes and now increasingly through our growing boycott of the MSM and the powers that be (or what is left of it), of the oppressive regime.
I will extend my Tuesday boycotts onto the one week boycott from the 24th.
Perhaps we can hope that the MSMs can soon truly be “The Rakyat’s Paper”!!
March 21, 2008 at 8:31 pm
We were made to carry a chunky paper but inside it was all pro… news (common, this is a cyberspace era no more hard copy era).We get transparent news and the truth from the net. Are netizens going to ISA too? Its time the people up there catch up with the globe. Netizens are more ruly and civilized. No need to have street demos to vent out our disactisfaction and anger. No riots no human get hurt. BN should support bloggers and be thankful to bloggers for their views and opinions that are not filtered and democratic. Harsh but the truth and the best for BN to learn about the rakyat’s grievances and frustrations.Furthermore, it acts as a mirror to any wrongdoings by the top guns. More interesting to read real stuff than false stuff in MSM.Feel good to be able to voice out the way we like it and the way we want it without fear or favour and no fear of getting locked up in ISA or whatever A’s. This is ultimate freedom and the best channel to get them out of our chest. Can sleep better knowing that our views are being accessed and heard by the people locally and worldwide.Blogging is the best medicine to our frustrations. Keep blogging alive.It keeps us happier and its also humorous albeit sarcastic.It make us a happier netizen and citizen. Blog fan.
March 21, 2008 at 9:20 pm
To all readers of the Star throughout Malaysia. Boycott
the newspaper nationwide. Show WCW readers’ power. Without us, he will be out of job
March 21, 2008 at 9:30 pm
Boycott action has become a very popular sport in Malaysia lately. With many keen participants waiting for the next meaningful event to unfold with great interest.
Lets direct our boycott towards those companies who advertise their products and services in the MSM. Nobody with a right frame of mind would dare to offend their circles of loyal customers.
MSM get their revenue from the advertisements. Cut off their sources of income, they have no choice but to apologise to it’s readers and to give a more balance report.
March 21, 2008 at 9:57 pm
well,i fully support this action to boycott the star.
March 21, 2008 at 10:56 pm
The MSM in Malaysia is really beginning to feel the pinch especially The Star with many people heeding the clarion call to boycott the paper. To me life is about choices and doing the right things when we make our choices. We are after all the master of our own destiny. I can understand some people do what they do because they have very few or limited career opportunities in life until they are even willing to use their God given talents to do Satan’s deed.
I can’t comment on Josceline Tan, VK Chin (The Star), Kallimullah (NST) and Goh Ban Kee (The Sun) but what I can comment on is Wong Chun Wai of The Star. After all, apart from the ones mentioned above, Wong is the only one that has gone on record to profess to the whole world that he is a Christian. Brother Wong, being a Christian especially being a follower of Christ ain’t easy. You need to constantly walk the walk and talk the talk! You can’t have the cake and eat it both ways, brother.
I wonder how you can go to Church every Sunday and face the Lord and yet pursue the diabolical agenda of your employer and political masters and scourge the Lord with lashes of falsehood, deception and malice. You are nothing but the same as Judas Iscariot who betrayed his Master.
Unlike Judas, redemption is still available for you. This being the time of Easter Brother Wong, take this as an opportunity to use your God given talents to write and speak up for the Truth and repent by quiting The Star. Let not ye be shackled by the chains of perdition. If you truly love Jesus with all your heart and all your soul, QUIT THE STAR BY MARCH 30, 2008.
If you fail to do so, Lord have mercy on your soul. The Lord has spoken to you Brother Wong and The TRUTH WILL SET YOU FREE!
To all Christians out there please pray for Brother Wong Chun Wai to have the strength and courage to walk in the light of righteousness. Amen!
http://margeemar.blogspot.com
March 21, 2008 at 10:56 pm
I have started boycotting
the Star since last Saturday since receiving a sms from my friend to do so. I have also forwarded to 10 of my friends asking them to do the same. If this thing picks up, it will be a tsunami to hit the MSM. Don’t just boycott for a week because they can afford the loss of revenue. Boycott at least 1 full month then only they will really feel the power of the people. If the evil intention of the MSM is to down the new Barisan Rakyat which we have voted in, then it is only right that we close them down before they can do it. Not just the Star but all other papers which are not truthful nor professional.
March 21, 2008 at 11:52 pm
Thanks Haris, for alerting everyone. I permanently cancelled my subscription of The Star this morning. It feels good to do it & I hope soon, the advertisers will notice that readership has dropped. You wanna hurt those ba*tards, hit them where it matters – $$$$$$$$$$$$.
March 22, 2008 at 1:05 am
I’m not buying The Star & NST and have emailed all my contacts on the petition! Teach them the basics of good journalism again – reporting the truth!
WCW & Co – correct, correct, correct?!
March 22, 2008 at 2:26 am
so touched with your altruism.
but i beg to differ, some editors have sold their souls to the dark side and are not remorseful of their sins in their coverage of hindraf, bersih and the elections.
god bless.
March 22, 2008 at 3:44 am
Sigh, it’s just like our sports council asking sports men and women to prove themselves first before any action is taken to go a step further.
All things change, and we change with them.
– Latin Proverb
Keep changing. When you’re through changing, you’re through.
– Bruce Barton
hope it inspires a few. cheers
March 22, 2008 at 10:18 pm
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