In ‘The BENAR message to journos : rakyat jaga sama you, you jaga sama rakyat post’, I had written:
‘To the journalists out there who continue day in day out to try and do an honest day’s work, I say now that you owe it to yourselves to think long and hard about what you can do to restore honour to your profession.
I will walk with any journalist who will begin his or her journey to ‘Dare To Be Free’.”
Well, BENAR’s Birdseye and SV Singam have quietly been working.
And the walk is on!
Date : 1st June, 2008
Time : 9.00 am
Starting point : Dataran Merdeka
Destination : National Press Club
The following has been excerpted from the BENAR blog :
While we, the organisers, can direct the theme and thrust of the event, journalist participation will be determined by organisations such as the NUJ, the NPC and the various media groups. We look forward to strong support from them. This is an opportunity that they should not miss out on. Please pass the word around and tell every journalist whom you know about this event.
As to ordinary citizens and bloggers, here is your opportunity to show that you desire Media Freedom. Come and take the Walk with your journalist brethren and show your solidarity with them. We, as a people, can help to move our nation forward on the road to civil liberties.
For more info, go to the BENAR blog HERE
See you all at Dataran on Sunday, 1st June, 2008
The People's Parliament 
Arnaz
May 25, 2008
The date coincides with Sukma and I will be in Terengganu.
Hope your walk goes peacefully well and no journalist is beaten up or jailed.
SexyJudge
May 25, 2008
I wish this will work well and please also be cautious of those opportunists. They make issues out of anything.
robin hood
May 26, 2008
No offence meant, bro. The call is noble indeed.
But then you have to take into consideration we are in a pretty bad situation now.What with the price of essentials escalating and past antics of the flip flop fella.(Shahrir had just announced that there will be no price increase of fuel)the dozy one may flip flop again and declare a massive increase of fuel prices.
So, would the journos dare to risk their rice bowls by joining in this walk during this time of uncertainty…
robin,
I’m hoping that if there are journos who are prepared to put their rice bowl at risk for a freer media, and their rice bowl is in fact threatened, we in civil society will stand by them with some sort of financial support.
The fight for a freer media is not just the fight if the journos. It is civil society’s struggle.
I for one am ready to lend that financial support.
svsingam
May 26, 2008
Robin,
We have taken all reasonable measures to avoid confrontation and conflict while making a statement. This is likely to be the best opportunity for the journos to stand up (or Walk, in this case) for something they believe in.
If they rise up as one and grab this opportunity, 01-06-08 may well go down as their moment of glory. But if they fail to even match the response of the rakyat, this may be remembered as their moment of shame. It’s their call.
History is often made by lots of little people doing small things together. All it takes is a little gumption.
dani'el kannan
May 27, 2008
I will be there
May i suggest that you also rally ALL the people in the Creative industry, advertisers, agencies, drama, theatre, music, film, all those who need a freer press to freely express their creative art, a real freedom of expression.
GOD bless for a “BANGSA MALAYSIA”
for that at least,……