Media reporting on the PROTES rally : a comparison between Malaysiakini & Star

When BENAR launched its ‘Free & Fair Media’ campaign, it was suggested by some that this blog could perhaps cold storage the ‘Boycott MSM’ campaign to give support for the former effort.

We went along with that.

BENAR’s ‘Free & Fair Media’ week has come and gone.

How is the MSM faring?

Free and fair? Or at least more free and more fair than before 8308? Or just trying to give a semblance of being more free and more fair than before?

For a start, let’s just compare one report from Malaysiakini with the several that appeared in the Star online with regard to the PROTES rally last Sunday.

For the benefit of those of you who are still not subscribed to Malaysiakini ( and why is that, pray tell ), I’ve got their permission to reproduce their one report in full here, although the arrangement of the accompanying photos will not tally with the actual report.

If you haven’t got the time to go through all four reports ( Malaysiakini 1, Star 3 ), I’d ask you to just compare the photos in the Malaysiakini report that appeared alongside the report of the crowds that showed up to listen to Anwar, with that which appeared in the first Star report below entitled ‘Anwar dares PM and DPM to discuss how to tackle oil crisis’, which was also reporting on Anwar’s presence at the rally.

Was there a deliberate attempt in the Star report to give the impression of a rather lukewarm turnout for Anwar’s talk? Has Star juxtaposed a photo taken either late afternoon or evening with a report of a night event and, if so, why do you suppose so?

Is that one Star report, measured against the Malaysiakini one, free and fair?

Do all three Star reports, measured against the one Malaysiakini report, give a fair depiction of the whole Sunday event?

Share your thoughts.

_________________________________

The Malaysiakini report dated 6th July and entitled ‘Thousands at Kelana Jaya to hear Anwar’ :

Thousands of people have gathered for the closing of the all-day anti-fuel price hike protest at the Kelana Jaya stadium tonight.

MCPX

Among the speakers to wrap up the marathon event were top Pakatan Rakyat leaders including DAP leader Lim Kit Siang, PAS deputy president Nasharuddin Mat Isa and the star for the day – PKR’s de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim.

Anwar who arrived at the venue about 9.45pm when Lim was speaking, took over the rostrum at about 10.15pm.

Organiser Coalition Against Inflation (Protes) estimated 30,000 people were in the stadium to hear Anwar, turning the football field into a sea of red T-shirts. Anwar in his speech responded to calls by Umno Youth and Putera Umno for him to swear upon the Quran of his innocence at the National Mosque following a sodomy claim against him.

“They have asked me to swear in God’s name, but I will do so only if they charge me in the Syariah Court,” he said.

“This was the advice given to me by religious scholars in and out of the country,” added the charismatic opposition leader who is fighting accusations of alleged sodomy by his former aide Saiful Bukhari Azlan.

The police are investigating Saiful’s report on the matter and said today that they had taken statements from 18 persons regarding the allegation.

Anwar also told the mostly Malay Muslim crowd that if the authorities were to charge him with sodomy at the Syariah Court, they would then have to produce four witnesses.

“But believe me, what was alleged 10 years ago is being repeated with malice and slander, and I will not accept this but will fight it to the end.”

The crowd chanted ‘PM resign’ as Anwar criticised Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi for last month’s 41 percent increase in the cost of petrol.

“The people are desperate but the government is happy,” he told the rally. “If oil prices cannot be reduced, the BN government should step down.”

Anwar said that he was ready to debate the issue with Information Minister Shabery Cheek on July 15.

Earlier Lim told the crowd that Umno and the BN have lost people’s confidence as they have failed to reform the police, judiciary and economy.

Day-long carnival

There has been a carnival sort of atmosphere at the stadium since the 14-hour rally kicked off at 10am.

People started trickling into the 50,000 capacity stadium since early morning, to be greeted by vendors selling Pakatan Rakyat party mementos, T-shirts, cassettes and posters.

About 20 stalls had set up business since yesterday with traders reporting brisk business.The all-day programme of political speeches punctuated by musical and artistic performances – which included lion dance, rock bands and poetry reading – continued until midnight.

When the rally kicked off at 10am, about 5,000 people have arrived at the stadium with more on their way. Most of them are in red T-shirts, turning the grandstand into a sea of red.

By noon, the organisers said that the crowd had risen to about 10,000 – well short of the ‘one million’ which Protes was hoping to draw to the event. However, more came later in the evening.

About 2,500 volunteers from both PAS and PKR Youth wings have been mobilised to handle the crowd.

Protes coordinator Dr Hatta Ramli, who is also PAS Kuala Krai parliamentarian, was the first speaker of the event, followed by Hindraf coordinator S Jayathas, DAP Selangor executive councillor Ronnie Liu and PKR’s Irene Fernandez.

Representatives from rights movements Jerit and Hindraf gave speeches at 12 noon.

At 2pm, NGOs and a number of Pakatan leaders had their say.

Pakatan members of parliament and state representatives made their appearance at 3pm, and at 5pm Selangor Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim was at the stadium.

“The recent price hikes have had a devastating effect on the lives of the people, and worst-hit have been the poor,” Khalid told the crowd.

“We are calling on the government to remove the price hikes and end the people’s suffering or face being thrown out by the people.”

The stadium was ablaze with demonstrators in red – the colour of the protest movement. Many sported bandanas with the slogan ‘No Price Hike’ as they watched performances and listened to speeches.

“The whole family is having a good time but the message here is serious. How can we enjoy our lives when the government makes our survival difficult with all these sudden price increases?” said Mohamed Helmy Nor, who picnicked with his family on the pitch.

“The people are sufferring and I don’t know how long we can go on like this,” said 40-year-old housewife P Kalaiselvi, who came with her husband and four daughters, told AFP

“We would like the government to hear our problems and to help us but they are only helping themselves.”

Police and military ‘intimidation’

There was little police presence outside the stadium apart from two mobile units. However, others stationed elsewhere have been put on standby in case of any untoward incident.

It is learnt that Selangor police chief Khalid Abu Bakar was at the district police headquarters nearby, keeping abreast of developments.

There was no disturbance aside from a section of the crowd which was enraged by a rude gesture from the lead singer of a band who apparently turned his buttocks to the audience. But the situation was brought under control when organisers apologised.

Vendors at the stadium told Malaysiakini that late last night they saw several police patrol cars and about seven military trucks in the area, but the convoy did not stop at the stadium.

In addition to the palpable police and military intimidation, organisers have to fight off persistent rumours that the event would be cancelled.”Any contrary information that is being disseminated whether by SMS or email are patently false and misleading and are meant to confuse the public.” said a statement from Protes released early this morning.

“The planned programme will not be cancelled under any circumstances to ensure that the people are able to express their dissatisfaction at the government’s decision to drastically increase the price of petrol and other fuels without strong and reasonable justification.”

____________________________

Star online, so far as I could see, carried three reports on 7th July .

This is the first, entitled ‘Anwar dares PM and DPM to discuss how to tackle oil crisis’ . This is what was reported :

PETALING JAYA: Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has challenged the Prime Minister and his deputy to a live debate on July 15 to discuss how to tackle the oil crisis and reduce the local price of petrol and diesel.

He said Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak kept saying that there was no way that prices could come down in view of the high international oil prices.

“They don’t know how to bring down the prices.

“I am prepared to take on the Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister and even the whole Cabinet to debate the matter live on television,” he told a rally to protest the fuel price hike at the Kelana Jaya Stadium.

Anwar is already slated to debate the issue live with Information Minister Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek on July 15.

“There are some people who ask me ‘Anwar are you sure you can conclusively bring down the fuel prices’. My answer is yes,” he said.

He repeated his belief that if Pakatan Rakyat were to take over the government, they would be able to bring down the oil prices the following day.

DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang said the increase in petrol and diesel price had triggered a total crisis of confidence in the leadership of Barisan Nasional.

He said the Government had pledged reforms in the police, judiciary and the Anti-Corruption Agency but so far nothing had come out of it.

“Last time too, there was corruption but at least things got done. But now there is still corruption but the difference is that things do not get done,” he said.

At the end of the event, a man who tried to climb on stage when Anwar was delivering his speech was cornered and beaten up by supporters.

The man was said to have shouted Anwar’s name before attempting to get close to Anwar.

The day-long event had a carnival-like atmosphere with traders setting up stalls, cultural shows and a concert.

Traders registered brisk business selling food and drinks, T-shirts, CDs, perfumes and souvenirs outside the stadium. There were rock bands and cultural shows and even a lion dance.

The huge turnout did not give the police much trouble and only a few patrol cars were seen at strategic locations.

_________________________________

The second is entitled ‘Rock singer’s show upsets crowd’ :

PETALING JAYA: A singer pulled down his trousers and showed his boxer shorts during a concert at the anti-fuel price increase rally in Kelana Jaya Stadium yesterday.

The lead singer of rock band Carburettor Dung was halfway through a song when he dropped his pants and showed his boxer shorts.

His antics saw the audience hurling abuses and throwing bottles at him.

In the 7pm incident, PKR Youth security volunteers had to escort the singer and his band members off the stage while event organisers tried to calm the crowd.

It is learnt that prior to his strip performance, the singer was singing a song that included lyrics poking fun at the sodomy allegations against PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

A member of the audience who did not want to be named described the act as inappropriate as there were children present at the event.

Another man, who also wanted to be anonymous, said it was very unprofessional of the singer, adding that he was very upset because many VIPs, including Anwar would be present.

As the situation came under control, event coordinator Hishamuddin Rais came out to apologise for the incident.

The organisers then called for a break for Maghrib prayers.

_____________________________

The last one is entitled ‘Anti-fuel Rally aims to show how angry people are, says Hatta’ :

PETALING JAYA: The anti-fuel hike rally will send a strong signal to the Government that people are angry over the recent price increase, rally organising committee chairman Dr Hatta Ramli said.

Dr Hatta, who is also Kuala Krai MP (PAS), said the main objective of the rally, organised by the Coalition Against Inflation (Protes), was to call for political intervention to bring down the price of fuel.

“We want to send a strong signal to the Prime Minister that the people are angry with the Government over the fuel price hike,” he told a press conference on the sidelines of the rally at Stadium Kelana Jaya here yesterday.

“The Government needs to do something. It can’t keep on giving explanations and alternatives that people have rejected,” he said, adding that he planned to raise in Parliament today that the Government should not take the strong signals lightly.

“Hopefully, it will be joined by members from the government bench so that the fuel price will be brought down.

Dr Hatta said if the demand was not met, Protes would decide on the next course of action.

“We will not let the matter rest.”

Asked whether the ultimate goal of the rally was to topple the Government, he replied: “We are not ruling that out. Fuel price is a political issue. It affects the people. It may topple the Government. Many governments in other countries have been toppled because of the issue.

“As far as the rally organiser is concerned, this is about the fuel issue but many people come here with different objectives. They may raise other issues such as sodomy (allegation against Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim), accusations against Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and MPs crossing over to Pakatan Rakyat,” he said.