Is it is necessary to spend RM300k annually to publish state magazine by the Penang state government as well as the Perak state government.
I have not read any of the magazines published yet but then again, there’s the Internet and you could have published it for almost free or very minimal cost. But maybe their aim is to reach to those who does not have internet access at all. And also lets not forget that the mainstream media is controlled by the gov and probably this is one of the way to reach out to more people, that is to publish your own magazine.
Studying current situation i think people who voted for Pakatan Rakyat expect them to different from Barisan Nasional who are famous for their "expensive life style".
The education minister challanged PR governments to provide land for Tamil schools, and the schools will be bantuan penuh the next day. I think there are many ways were they could spend this peoples money.
Is political propaganda is much more important for you guys compare to people's welfare??? Think about it. Hindraf have asking and asking and asking PR state governments to look in to tamil schools and temple issues.....BUT THEY STILL 'ACT' DEAF. ( Refer to HINDRAF
chairman's letter to PR menteri besars).
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This our appeal is not excessive as almost immediately after taking over power in Selangor, and Perak 130 hectares and RM 100 millions approved for the pig farm project and 60,000 TOL occupants of New villages in Perak were given freehold titles (Utusan 05/04/08 pg 14). After all this Indian appeal is, for public and not private or commercial purposes as above."
Says Mr.waythamorthy, HINDRAF Chairman.
MALAYSIKINI : Groups unhappy with Pakatan’s propaganda mags Ahti Veeranggan | Jul 25, 08 8:51pm
Penang has Suara Rakyat and Perak, MCPXCitra Perak. The two Pakatan-led state governments are now under fire for wasting public funds on such propaganda magazines.
Civil society groups today blasted the two state governments, calling them ‘hypocrites’ as they were doing the same thing as the previous governments which they had earlier criticised.
Penang-based Media Watch group described Suara Rakyat, published by the DAP-led Penang government and Citra Perak in PAS-led Perak as “merely a public media tool of partisan propaganda.”
“The Pakatan Rakyat governments are no different from the previous ones after all. They are hypocrites by copying BN media policy to serve their cynical self interests,” said its coordinator B K Ong, stressing Media Watch’s stand on governments to ‘stay away’ from media publications.
Even if a state government funds and publishes a state magazine, he argues it should be administrated by an independent editorial board to provide free and fair news coverage.
RM300,000 annually
“But these magazines are more like mouthpieces of Pakatan Rakyat state governments than independent magazines,” he told Malaysiakini.
It is learnt that the Penang government will have to cough up RM300,000 to publish three editions of 20,000 copies each for Suara Rakyat annually, while Perak is expected to spend a similar amount for six editions of 10,000 copies each for Citra Perak.
The 52-page Suara Rakyat, distributed free to the public, contains government propaganda in three languages, Bahasa, Mandarin and Tamil, while the 20-page Citra Perak is published in Bahasa only.
Suara Rakyat was launched on Monday and Citra Perak, last month.
Former Penang chief minister Dr Koh Tsu Koon spent nearly RM300,000 a year to publish separate Malay, Chinese and Tamil magazines in Penang.
The Malay version, Wawasan Rakyat was published first in1994, Hong Yuan in Mandarin was launched in 1999 while Makkal Madal in Tamil was started in 2003.
The previous Perak BN government only published Warta Perak in Bahasa.
By following the precedent set by his predecessor, Ong said Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng had proven to be a hypocrite since “he had condemned BN-controlled media all these years.”
“He should have titled the magazine as Suara Kerajaan (Government Voice) not Suara Rakyat (People’s Voice),” he said.
Times are hard, save money
Meanwhile, United Hindu Religious Council president G Mugunthan criticised the Pakatan Rakyat state governments of not going on an austerity drive to save government spending, more so during such difficult times for the people.
“The Pakatan state governments claim to be thrifty but are wrongly spending precious government funds on propaganda. The money could have well spent for noble causes like helping the poor and Tamil schools,” he stressed.
Although social reform movement Aliran is not against the government-sponsored publications, it nonetheless said that state magazines should be more for “intellectual discourse, intelligent thinking and people centric.”
Penang Heritage Trust head Dr Choon Sim Poey concurred that it would not be right for the state governments to utilise public funds for political publicity, instead of publishing government policies and action plans for the information of the people.
Penang opposition leader Azhar Ibrahim on Monday criticised the state government of going back on its promise to cut operational costs due to a lack of funds.
“Is this what we call the ‘CAT’ government?” he asked, taking a swipe at the state government’s widely-propagated principles of competency, accountability and transparency (CAT).
According to Hindraf national coordinator TS Thanenthiran, the Pakatan governments have failed to fulfill their promises.
Meanwhile, Pemaswa president G Asoghan claimed that Indian leaders in the Pakatan government have "betrayed the Indian community’s trust in them" to deliver the goods.