YOURSAY 'I don't agree with DPM's statements. If he is truthful and honest of his statements, he should have put a stop to Utusan's racial articles and news.'

Gov't never muzzled media, says Muhyiddin

LittleGiant: The existence of online news portals and newsletters by opposition parties does not mean that there is press freedom in the country.

Any Malaysian caring to read a couple of mainstream newspapers for a week will know what kind of ‘press freedom' these newspapers ‘enjoy'.

It's no hidden secret that most mainstream newspapers are nothing but only government propaganda material as they are owned by political parties in the ruling coalition.

Do these newspapers have any courage to report anything good about opposition parties or opposition leaders, no matter how genuine and truthful the reports are? Do the mainstream papers have the freedom to report fair and true?

It is a known fact that the mainstream media is kept under strict guard. And what makes DPM Muhyiddin Yassin think that online portals and opposition papers twist the truth? Is it because truth hurts?

If not for the portals and opposition papers, Malaysians will never get to know the 'other side' of what is reported by the mainstream media.

Moontime: Muhyiddin is a master at doublespeak. Of course, we don't muzzle the media. We invite them to our office, issue threats against them, intimidate them, do whatever it takes to ensure only favourable news aka spin to the ruling elite are churned out day in day out.

Yes, we don't muzzle them. We control them.

Quigonbond: Of course, the press is not muzzled. Why should it be, when it comprises BN-related companies?

You want to demonstrate that Malaysia has free press? Liberalise the printing presses and broadcasting sector and give neutral or even pro-opposition newspapers and stations the freedom of expression Malaysians demand.

Wira: The BN ruling coalition either owns the papers or issues show-cause letters when editors become more independent that what the party is comfortable with.

Its Utusan Malaysia admits to lying to prop up the regime. Why do you need more to muzzle the media?

Timothy: For all I know, Utusan is the only media that the government had never and will never muzzled.

"He (Muhyiddin) said the media has a social obligation to disseminate news that unite the people and not ‘split them into groups that are suspicious of each other'.'

I really had a good laugh at this. Is he referring to Utusan ?

Wong Jiang Fung: Great, I will tell my friend who works in Nanyang Siang Pau of this news, and he is going to publish stories about Scorpene submarines and Altantuya Shaarriibuu. Can't wait to see them.

Onyourtoes: Do you want to know what garbage journalism is? First, garbage journalism is when a stupid leader talks garbage but the journalists around him/her report the garbage as gospel truth.

Second, garbage journalism is when an honest leader tells the truth, the journalists around him/her spin and lie. Garbage journalism is when journalists and editors behaving like prostitutes in three-piece suits.

Krissman: Trust me, Muhyiddin, if you and your BN goons could control the alternate media like the way you guys own/control the mainstream media, you guys would have done it a long time ago.

Rakyatmalaysia: Yes, when Muhyiddin speaks the facts, the folk here cannot accept it. Malaysiakini and many other portals have been having a field day saying anything they like, and opposition papers have done so for many years now.

To many here, press freedom is when the government-back parties use their own media to say as they like, while the opposition do the same. Is that not press freedom?

Keturunan Malaysia: Rakyatmalaysia, if Malaysiakini is like you said, then the government must be loaded with idiots for not bringing the website to face the music and you must be an idiot to now seemingly support a government full of idiots.

CiViC: Seriously, there's something seriously wrong with Umno people - they live in their own world.

Here we have Muhyiddin saying press freedom when in actual fact anyone with a mentality of a 12-year-old can tell otherwise, that we have Agriculture Minister Noh Omar saying we need not know how he got 20 acres of land, and that he is not involved in loan given under the purview of his ministry for a business operating on his land, and Minister in PM's Department Nazri Abdul Aziz saying Kelantan is lawless with thugs attacking MACC (Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission) when the police force is under the federal government, then of course PM Najib Razak's LRT award being above board, Utusan admitting spinning news and it seems to get the government's approval to do so, crime index and figures that changes everyday, and the list goes on.

What are we? Do we really look that stupid?

The Sensibility: These main media are under the thumb of BN. They have never written the ‘flaws' of BN, except being critical of Pakatan-led states despite these states having shown improvements even though they do not have prior governing skills and experience.

I don't agree with DPM's statements. If he is truthful and honest of his statements, he should have put a stop to Utusan's racial articles and news.

Absalom: The government never muzzled the media, its political parties just owned, controlled and directed most of it to their advantage - to the extent that all we get from the mainstream media is making the leaders of government look good and badmouthing the opposition.

Please don't take credit for the alternate media because it is there by default and not by your design.

Orang Jauh: Without Malaysiakini having to do any "spinning", my head is spinning just reading the article's headline alone.

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