YOURSAY 'Closed door, open door, indoor, outdoor - as long as it is reported truthfully, there is no room for threatening the media.'

Zahid now trains guns on dailies, threatens closure

Kit P: As a minister, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi is accountable and answerable for what he says to an audience, closed door, open door, indoor, outdoor, or whatever. As long as his statements are reported truthfully, there is no room for threatening the media for reporting the news.

Within a few short months, Zahid is showing up as a serious abuser of the powers of his position. A dangerous man to be a minister.

Gen. Half Track: All this is wayang (show) for the impending Umno elections. To be a top dog you must show you are a taiko and what better way to show it than a threat to close all dailies?

OMG!! : His threat, if it comes true, will be a most explosive scandal and will qualify it as the Watergate of Malaysian politics for 2013. The reporters concerned should come forward and say their piece. The people want the truth, nothing but the truth, and will be fully behind them.

Bettertrustmydog: I wonder if he is just as arrogant if he was just a common man like us. I dread what will become of us if he is still around post GE14. I hope he is not reelected in the Umno election.

BTN: Melampau (excessive) is the Malay word to describe Zahid's behaviour. He is under a lot of stress with the Umno election just around the corner. To be elected into Umno you have to be as racist as possible, and the only race worth bashing is the Chinese.

The Chinese must stay steady. Election time will surely come and this time they will give Umno a real Chinese tsunami.

Anonymous #69337042: To gain favour with President Xi of China, Premier Najib Abdul Razak praised the Malaysian Chinese for making possible Malaysia's success. But Najib forgot to tell the president that he blames the Chinese community for not voting for BN in the last GE.

Anonymous_4196: Najib's "national reconciliation" is definitely not on this minister's agenda.

Anonymous #25558299: Day by day this home minister is becoming more arrogant, ferocious and violent with power that he thinks he gained himself and not through the people. Something must be done before this fellow destroys Malaysians.

Ksn: What we read, hear in public forums which are not prohibited from reporting, are bad enough for their lack of decorum, decency, substance, intelligence, divisive, fanatical, not contributing towards nation building, things a minster should not be.

Can one imagine what is said in closed forums? My God! Where is Malaysia heading towards with this type of minister lording over us?

Kee Thuan Chye: Journalists, next time he tries to act tough with you, act tough back. You have every right to do so. Don't be afraid. Dare them. Tell them to bring it on. Kartika told them to bring it on and they didn't dare to cane her after that. Pak Samad told them to bring it on, i.e. take away his Sasterawan Negara title, even his citizenship. After that, not a pipsqueak from them.

Yes, we must all tell them to bring it on from now on. That will show up their lack of guts. Talk only they can, when it comes to doing, dare not. Ahmad Zahid Hamidi is proving to be less and less of a minister and more and more of a thug.

He thinks he can throw his weight around just because of his position, and threaten anybody he wants. How can he tell the journalists he would close down their newspapers? This is most unbecoming.

Even if he tried that, he would be crucified. He can now, because of the amendments to the PPPA, be taken to court for making such a decision. And if the judiciary were independent, he would lose because he would have no good reasons to close those newspapers down.

So, Ahmad Hamidi, don't make empty threats. It makes you appear more like a gangster than a minister who deserves respect. Shame on you! You have become the most hated Malaysian minister of all time.

Retnam: He is the third most popular guy in Umno after former PM Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Najib. Mahathir has plans to make him PM by kicking out Najib and Muhyiddin. Mukhriz will be deputy PM. After six months this fellow will be kicked out. Then it is PM Mukhriz. Just wait and see. All these closed door meetings are about this transition. ‘Sensitive', my foot.

SenyumUnta: "After Zahid's warning the audience booed at the journalists, forcing them to make an exit" Wow! That speaks a lot about the audience...

Anonymous_3e34 If he can't handle questions from journalists, he should leave the country.

Old timer: Zahid thinks he is the dictator of Malaysia, he acts beyond his power. Umno better watch him. Once he controls the rakyat, then he will control Umno.

Wg321: I can easily guess what are the "sensitive remarks" in the home minister's speech. Obviously it is the usual anti-Chinese tirades and diatribes. The more anti-Chinese the remarks, the more chances of being elected in Umno. That is why they are having all those closed door events and prohibiting the media from publishing them.

Happy Malaysian: Zahid, go baby go, I fully support your actions. The media have been the cause of many issues that never happened, including reports on Syria, Egypt and Libya; stories that were mostly untrue.

Those who do not write the facts, ban them permanently and individually. I believe that all journalists should be issued a licence and if they fail in their duties, remove it so that they cannot practice.

Fantastic4: What is our country turning into? Closed door event and "sensitive remarks"? Closing the dailies? Do it, please by all means. Close down all dailies and media except for Utusan Malaysia.

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