On 28/3/2008, Leong Yoke-lin wrote to Giant & Carrefour :
Do you know that there is an ongoing boycott of our local newspapers every Tuesday? I and many others have decided to lend our support to this boycott.
Why this boycott of the local newspapers? Well, as citizens of Malaysia, we are concerned with the lack of free and fair press in Malaysia. Instead of living up to its watchdog role, our mainstream media has long been used and is still being used as propoganda tool of the ruling party.
I am writing to you because your company is one of the biggest advertisers in the main media (MSM) By advertising your products and/or services in the MSM (newspapers, TV & radio), your company is directly supporting and sustaining the propagation of lies and half-truths, the censorship of information and the suppression of alternative viewpoints. Surely this is against the aim of any company that seeks to be a responsible corporate citizen! …We trust that you, too, will recognize the value and the virtue of a free and fair press and hope that your company can stand on our side. Therefore, we respectfully ask that your company stops contributing to the revenue of the MSM by ending your advertisements or, at the very least, significantly reduce your advertising expenditures immediately.
___________________________
On 26/3/2008, PY Wong wrote to Nestle :
Re: Boycott Malaysian Mainstream Media (MSM). We Need Your Support
Do you know that there is an ongoing boycott of our Malaysian newspapers every Tuesday?
We have decided to lend our support to this boycott.
Why this boycott of the local newspapers?
Well, citizens are concerned with the lack of a free and fair press in Malaysia*.
Instead of living up to its watchdog role and promoting democratization and good governance, our mainstream media has long been the servile propaganda tool of the now simple-majority ruling Barisan Nasional government.
I’m writing to you now because your company is one of the biggest advertisers in the mainstream media (MSM).
By advertising your products and/or services in the MSM (newspapers, TV & radio), your company is directly supporting and sustaining the propagation of lies and half-truths, the censorship of information and the suppression of alternative viewpoints.
Surely this is against the aim of any company that seeks to be a responsible corporate citizen!
On 17th March, 2008, a call was made through the internet for a week-long boycott of newspapers commencing 24th March, 2008, to pressure the print media into living up to its primary role as watchdog over the government – exposing wrong doings, corruptions and abuse of power.
However, it is expected that the print media will be slow to respond, if at all, to this boycott. As such, and in furtherance of this initiative, the initiators of the boycott will call on Malaysians to stop buying products or patronizing outlets that advertise heavily in the print media.
I trust that you, too, will recognize the value and the virtue of a free and fair press and hope that your company can stand on our side.
I ask that your company stop contributing to the revenue of the MSM by ending your advertisements or, at the very least, significantly reduce your advertising expenditures immediately so that your products will not be a boycott target.
Please write to thepeoplesparliament@gmail.com if you agree to support us and stop advertising in the MSM.
Additional information is available at: https://harismibrahim.wordpress.com/hartal-boycott-the-lying-newspapers/.
____________________________________
On 24/3/2008, Abdul Rahman Hyder wrote to Jusco :
Do you know that there is an ongoing boycott of our local newspapers
every Tuesday?
I and many others have decided to lend our support to this boycott.
Why this boycott of the local newspapers?
Well, citizens are concerned with the lack of a free and fair press in
Malaysia*.
Instead of living up to its watchdog role and promoting democratization
and good governance, our mainstream media has long been the servile
propaganda tool of the now simple-majority ruling Barisan Nasional
government.
I’m writing to you now because your company is one of the biggest
advertisers in the mainstream media (MSM).
By advertising your products and/or services in the MSM (newspapers, TV
& radio), your company is directly supporting and sustaining the
propagation of lies and half-truths, the censorship of information and
the suppression of alternative viewpoints.
Surely this is against the aim of any company that seeks to be a
responsible corporate citizen!
On 17th March, 2008, a call was made through the internet for a
week-long boycott of newspapers commencing 24th March, 2008, to pressure
the print media into living up to its primary role as watchdog over the
government – exposing wrong doings, corruptions and abuse of power.
However, it is expected that the print media will be slow to respond, if
at all, to this boycott. As such, and in furtherance of this initiative,
the initiators of the boycott will call on Malaysians to stop buying
products or patronizing outlets that advertise heavily in the print media.
I trust that you, too, will recognize the value and the virtue of a free
and fair press and hope that your company can stand on our side.
I ask that your company stops contributing to the revenue of the MSM by
ending your advertisements or, at the very least, significantly reduce
your advertising expenditures immediately so that your products will not
be a boycott target.
Please write to thepeoplesparliament@gmail.com if you agree to support
us and stop advertising in the MSM.
Additional information is available at:
https://harismibrahim.wordpress.com/hartal-boycott-the-lying-newspapers/.
Thank you.
*: Malaysia was ranked 124 out of 169 countries in the 2007 Press
Freedom Index
___________________________
On 25/3/2008, Temenggong wrote to Giant :
Re: Boycott Mainstream Media. We Need Your Support
Do you know that there is an ongoing boycott of our local newspapers every Tuesday?
I and many others have decided to lend our support to this boycott.
Why this boycott of the local newspapers?
Well, citizens are concerned with the lack of a free and fair press in Malaysia*.
Instead of living up to its watchdog role and promoting democratization and good governance, our
mainstream media has long been the servile propaganda tool of the now simple-majority ruling
Barisan Nasional government.
I’m writing to you now because your company is one of the biggest advertisers in the mainstream
media (MSM).
By advertising your products and/or services in the MSM (newspapers, TV & radio), your company is
directly supporting and sustaining the propagation of lies and half-truths, the censorship of
information and the suppression of alternative viewpoints.
Surely this is against the aim of any company that seeks to be a responsible corporate citizen!
On 17th March, 2008, a call was made through the internet for a week-long boycott of newspapers
commencing 24th March, 2008, to pressure the print media into living up to its primary role as
watchdog over the government – exposing wrong doings, corruptions and abuse of power.
However, it is expected that the print media will be slow to respond, if at all, to this boycott. As such,
and in furtherance of this initiative, the initiators of the boycott will call on Malaysians to stop buying
products or patronizing outlets that advertise heavily in the print media.
I trust that you, too, will recognize the value and the virtue of a free and fair press and hope that your
company can stand on our side.
I ask that your company stops contributing to the revenue of the MSM by ending your advertisements
or, at the very least, significantly reduce your advertising expenditures immediately so that your
products will not be a boycott target.
If people remember, Rothmans was boycotted in the late sixties and today a worldwide brand is dead in Malaysia. Ever since then Guinness Anchor and Carlsberg has been extremely attentive and fawning over the Malaysian consumer.
This last week there was a boycott of Nasi Kandar shops in Penang for their irresponsible protest against the newly formed government. I trust you have read about how successful it was!
Normally boycotts of products are irreversible as it becomes indelibly lodged in the mass subconscious, and advertising agents know that.
I SUGGEST THAT YOUR SUPERMARKET IMMEDIATELY STOPS ITS ADVERTISEMENTS IN MALAYSIAN NEWSPAPERS UNTIL A MEETING OF MINDS BETWEEN THE NEWSPAPERS, THE PEOPLES PARLIAMENT AND YOUR GOODSELF.
Please write to thepeoplesparliament@gmail.com if you agree to support us and stop advertising in
the MSM.
Additional information is available at: https://harismibrahim.wordpress.com/hartal-boycott-the-lying–
newspapers/.
_______________________
On 25/3/2008, from SV Singam to :
hqmy@carrefour.com,
customerservice@giant.com.my,
feedback@jusco.com.my,
Dear Sir/Madam,
Re: Boycott of the Mainstream Media (MSM). We Need Your Support
You may already be aware that there is an ongoing boycott of our local newspapers every Tuesday. Various people have elected to the boycott at different levels, with some persons completely stopping their subscription to all newspapers.
Why this boycott of the local newspapers?
Our newspapers have failed to live up to their watchdog role as a free and independent press. They have become the servile propaganda tool of the Barisan Nasional. Their inability to deliver a fair and balanced reporting of events and their total failure to provide intelligent analysis is driving more and more people to seek alternate media in order to learn what is really going on.
When the first rumblings of People Power were heard, the powers-that-be ignored the warning. That tiny blip on the horizon soon built up into a tsunami which pounded the land and washed away much that was rotten. Today, there is a small groundswell of anger towards the MSM. Many in the industry are already aware of this and are taking proactive steps to protect their interests.
I’m writing to you now because your company is one of the biggest advertisers in the MSM. In recent weeks the MSM have shown that they are quite capable of publishing outright lies and distortions to promote their agenda. By advertising your products and/or services in the MSM (newspapers, TV & radio), your company is directly supporting and sustaining this propagation of lies and half-truths, the censorship of information and the suppression of alternative viewpoints.
I think you will agree that this is contradicts the policies of any company seeking to be a responsible corporate citizen! Just you would hesitate to advertise in unsavoury and shady publications such as porn or hate magazines, you may want to review your association with the soon-to-be-discredited Malaysian MSM.
On 17th March, 2008, a call was made through the internet for a week-long boycott of newspapers commencing 24th March, 2008, to pressure the print media into living up to its primary role as the voice of the people by exposing wrong doings, corruption and abuse of power. However, it is expected that the print media will be slow to respond, if at all, to this boycott. As such, and in furtherance of this initiative, the initiators of the boycott will be calling on Malaysians to stop buying products or patronizing outlets that advertise heavily in the print media.
I trust that you will recognize the value and the virtue of a free and fair press and hope that your company can support what we stand for. I ask that your company stops contributing to the revenue of the MSM by ending your advertisements or, at the very least, significantly reducing your advertising expenditures immediately so that your products will not become a boycott target.
Please write to thepeoplesparliament@gmail.com if you agree to support us and stop or significantly reduce your advertising in the MSM.
Additional information is available at: https://harismibrahim.wordpress.com/hartal-boycott-the-lying-newspapers/.
Thank you.
________________________
On 25/3/2008, from Nanda Kumar to hqmy@carrefour.com
Dear Sir or Madam,
Re: Boycott MSM. We Need Your Support
Do you know that there is an ongoing boycott of our local newspapers every Tuesday?
I and many others have decided to lend our support to this boycott.
Why this boycott of the local newspapers?
Well, citizens are concerned with the lack of a free and fair press in Malaysia*.
Instead of living up to its watchdog role and promoting democratization and good governance, our mainstream media has long been the servile propaganda tool of the now simple-majority ruling Barisan Nasional government.
I’m writing to you now because your company is one of the biggest advertisers in the mainstream media (MSM).
By advertising your products and/or services in the MSM (newspapers, TV & radio), your company is directly supporting and sustaining the propagation of lies and half-truths, the censorship of information and the suppression of alternative viewpoints.
Surely this is against the aim of any company that seeks to be a responsible corporate citizen!
On 17th March, 2008, a call was made through the internet for a week-long boycott of newspapers commencing 24th March, 2008, to pressure the print media into living up to its primary role as watchdog over the government – exposing wrong doings, corruptions and abuse of power.
However, it is expected that the print media will be slow to respond, if at all, to this boycott. As such, and in furtherance of this initiative, the initiators of the boycott will call on Malaysians to stop buying products or patronizing outlets that advertise heavily in the print media.
I trust that you, too, will recognize the value and the virtue of a free and fair press and hope that your company can stand on our side.
I ask that your company stops contributing to the revenue of the MSM by ending your advertisements or, at the very least, significantly reduce your advertising expenditures immediately so that your products will not be a boycott target.
___________________________
On 25/3/2008, Jack Wong to :
hqmy@carrefour.com,
customerservice@giant.com.my,
feedback@jusco.com.my,
Dear Sir or Madam,
Re: Boycott MSM. We Need Your Support
Do you know that there is an ongoing boycott of our local newspapers every Tuesday?
I and many others have decided to lend our support to this boycott.
I’vestopped my subscription to all MSM in both print & have also stopped visiting their websites. Personally for me, this includes TheStar, NewStraits Times & Berita Harian and their online web pages http://www.thestar.com.my, http://www.nst.com.my & www.bharian.com.my.I’vealso encouraged many of my family members, friends and colleaguesto do the same. Their response has been wholly encouraging and will join me in this endeavour.
Why this boycott of the local newspapers?
Well, citizens are concerned with the lack of a free and fair press in Malaysia*.
Instead of living up to its watchdog role and promoting democratization and goodgovernance, our mainstream media has long been the servile propaganda tool of the now simple-majority ruling Barisan Nasional government.
I’m writing to you now because your company is one of the biggest advertisers in the mainstream media (MSM).
By advertising your products and/or services in the MSM (newspapers,TV & radio), your company is directly supporting and sustaining the propagation of lies and half-truths, the censorship of information and the suppression of alternative viewpoints.
Surely this is against the aim of any company that seeks to be a responsible corporate citizen!
On 17th March, 2008, a call was made through the internet for a week-long boycott of newspapers commencing 24th March, 2008, to pressure the printmedia into living up to its primary role as watchdog over the government- exposing wrong doings, corruptions and abuse of power.
However, it is expected that the print media will be slow to respond, if at all, to this boycott. As such, and in furtherance of this initiative, the initiators of the boycott will call on Malaysians to stop buying products or patronizing outlets that advertise heavily in the print media.
I trust that you, too, will recognize the value and the virtue of a free and fair press and hope that your company can stand on our side.
I ask that your company stops contributing to the revenue of the MSM by ending your advertisements or, at the very least, significantly reduce your advertising expenditures immediately so that your products will not be a boycott target.
Please write to thepeoplesparliament@gmail.com if you agree to support us and stop advertising in the MSM.
Additional information is available at: https://harismibrahim.wordpress.com/hartal-boycott-the-lying-newspapers/.
Thank you.
*: Malaysia was ranked 124 out of 169 countries in the 2007 Press Freedom Index
The People's Parliament 
Birdseye
March 28, 2008
Shar101,
How come only 3 letters sent so far after all the hot air? Where is your letter?
Angela Ooi
April 1, 2008
I have stopped my papers for 4 days (Star) and have been telling others not to buy papers esp on Tuesdays.I still give my newpaper vendor 30 cents a copy for the papers I stopped cos I don’t want his income to drop cos of our boycott.
However, I feel I would probably stop all papers soon cos there’s info overload and I just don’t have time to read my papers anyway. Everyone agrees newspapers are irrelevent cos going online is where we get our ‘real’ news anyway!
bubble&squeak
October 5, 2008
I have stopped buying MSM papers since the beginning of this year. Only fit to wrap up kitchen scraps and even then The Star is not so good for that being printed in tabloid size.
I especially despise the NST. Pretends to be high brow when it is not and I hate the way they only write about Bangsar and TTDI as if Malaysia doesn’t exist outside these posh territories.
I get so much more from you, Haris, and your friends. RPK also opened my eyes to the real issues. I’m forever grateful for the access to the truth.
All I want now is to get Pete out. For Marina, for Malaysia, for justice!!! Everyday I think about them. Everyday I pray.
I have sent the MT links out to family abroad. I am still waiting for my tshirt order. Can’t wait to wear them.
Would like to meet you and all the other Blogger heroes in person soon.
More power to you all! Thanks for being so brave. We need you all so much. Long live blogging!
Common Man
October 7, 2008
Dear all,
again, can’t write 2 bit… would very much like to add my small support to what you guys are doing….
any ready make mail that one can just put in the name and send off.? Would appreciate any leads…
Again…pardon your pardon…
NO ISA, FREE RPK….NOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW
Aiyoo
October 28, 2008
Well, has any of the companies replied to the emails sent out?
I’m glad for the internet because I can read real news online. because I don’t read any crap in the MSM. ( I truly miss the late MGG Pillai’s articles and I am sure he has planted a seed of interest in many bloggers. )
Aiyoo,
MGG was a giant of a Malaysian
watch family guy
December 20, 2010
I’m Glad i found this blog.Added harismibrahim.wordpress.com to my bookmark!
Betty
April 14, 2013
I think boycotting newspapers alone is not enough. We should threaten to boycott advertisers who keep supporting the shit that we call newspapers. Never underestimate the buying power of the people. Only economic pressure has the power to stop these advertisers from supporting, creating a bottleneck of pressure for these MSM to go out of business. Come on, let’s do it! I have stopped buying newspapers for two years , so I dont even know who is advertising there anymore. Lets formulate a plan to put these people OUT OF BUSINESS!!!