Marina Mahathir
A few years ago, the TV programme that Lina Tan and I co-produce, 3R-Respect, relax and Respond, had one episode banned from being broadcast by the Censor Board. That particular episode was about young women who were being discriminated on the basis of sexual orientation. It wasn't so much the fact that we were talking about lesbians that got the censors' knickers in a twist but that in interviews with two women, they both mentioned that their families continued to give them love and support. Apparently, telling the world that families continue to love their children or siblings despite them being gay was a truly radical notion, one which, in the words of our wise scissor-happy people, 'would bring down society'.
My colleagues at 3R and I were truly astounded by this. For one thing, nobody who had seen the episode could find much that was controversial. Secondly, the idea that families should discard their own kin seemed to go completely against the whole family-values thing. And thirdly, we never knew that a 30-minute TV programme for young women could have so much power that it could actually bring down the whole of Malaysian society. Perhaps I should thank the Censor Board for bestowing on us that power!
The furore over bloggers these days reminded me very much of that 3R incident. So much noise and angst over three or four blogs, albeit hugely popular ones. On the one hand, blogs are supposed to be 'not that popular' read only by the urban elite while the rural masses are completely oblivious to it. What's more, all they do is,apparently, lie. So if they are a bunch of liars who are only read by a small number of people sipping vanilla lattes, why worry?
But worry they do, to the extent of making police reports and calling for all sorts of bolts of legal lightning to be rained down on their heads, accusing them of 'cyber' crimes. And what are these ? Saying nasty things about people. Giving the country a bad image. Tut-tutting the government and its leaders. Gee whiz, these are the sorts of things that bring down our society? Give me a break!
I never knew that a handful of bloggers could be so powerful. So okay, they are writing about people in positions of authority, such as cops, doing things they shouldn't, like take money for um...services rendered. Or, they are reminding people who read blogs that there are a heck of a lot of pots in Parliament calling kettles black. Some are just reporting on the truly imbecilic things that our allegedly esteemed leaders insist on saying. Some of these, especially the idiocies, are in the mainstream media anyway. While others are noticeably absent, or are, shall we say, spun in such a way that they sound better than they are.
But just because some bloggers talk about these, life the Malaysian way will go down the tubes? Such faith we have in ourselves! If this was true, Raja Petra would be the most powerful man in Malaysia.
Unless of course, among those alleged 'lies', there is the tiniest grain of truth. And when people are feeling guilty, not even such tiny grains can be allowed to come out. Siapa makan cili and all that. So let's bring the mother of all hammers down on that tiny grain because otherwise, oh lor', it might just grow!
I don't have to reiterate it here but if we do have to worry about our image in the eyes of the world, it is the politicians we should be pointing accusing fingers at. Idiots like Bung Mokhtar and his 'bocor' remarks, Badaruddin Whatshisface and Jo B, both unfortunately from my home state, Zam, our Minister of Propaganda and of course , our 'favourite' nazi Nazri. Yes it's all politics but does politics have to be so stupid? (Did anyone see the US Democratic Presidential candidate debate the other night? Can you imagine any of our lunkheads doing that?)
And this is the thing...how did we get to a point when we are embarassed by our own leaders, when we feel ashamed to own up to them? Can we even name one of them that we even admire these days? Even if we don't agree with them but we can still admire them for their principles at least? What examples do they set for our children, for God's sake? Is it any wonder that in that survey not too long ago, our politicians came out last when people were asked who they trusted? Who in their right minds would trust Nazri?
(Lest anyone think I only consider Government politicians untrustworthy, let me state that I wouldn't lend money to any of the rest either.)
And we wonder why our young are disinterested in politics? Who can blame them? Rockstars and actors sound far more intelligent than our politicians any time. I'd rather tune in to Bono than Bung , no contest.
Maybe that's it. They know they have nothing to offer. They know they're skating on thin ice in the brain stakes. They know we can see through them. They don't mind us thinking it but they sure as hell would rather we didn't say it. Or worse still, say it and then give a cynical laugh. They think we're making them look like idiots, without once thinking that they're doing a pretty good job of it themselves. That's what they find unforgiveable.
Hey you know, if any little thing I say makes Nazri foam at the mouth and gives him ulcers, well I don't mind that. If Zam's eyes pop out every time I call him out on any of his nonsense, that would give me a real kick. I could really get off on making any of these guys (and the occasional girl) burst a vessel or two.
In fact, I might start thinking I do have some power after all.
A few years ago, the TV programme that Lina Tan and I co-produce, 3R-Respect, relax and Respond, had one episode banned from being broadcast by the Censor Board. That particular episode was about young women who were being discriminated on the basis of sexual orientation. It wasn't so much the fact that we were talking about lesbians that got the censors' knickers in a twist but that in interviews with two women, they both mentioned that their families continued to give them love and support. Apparently, telling the world that families continue to love their children or siblings despite them being gay was a truly radical notion, one which, in the words of our wise scissor-happy people, 'would bring down society'.
My colleagues at 3R and I were truly astounded by this. For one thing, nobody who had seen the episode could find much that was controversial. Secondly, the idea that families should discard their own kin seemed to go completely against the whole family-values thing. And thirdly, we never knew that a 30-minute TV programme for young women could have so much power that it could actually bring down the whole of Malaysian society. Perhaps I should thank the Censor Board for bestowing on us that power!
The furore over bloggers these days reminded me very much of that 3R incident. So much noise and angst over three or four blogs, albeit hugely popular ones. On the one hand, blogs are supposed to be 'not that popular' read only by the urban elite while the rural masses are completely oblivious to it. What's more, all they do is,apparently, lie. So if they are a bunch of liars who are only read by a small number of people sipping vanilla lattes, why worry?
But worry they do, to the extent of making police reports and calling for all sorts of bolts of legal lightning to be rained down on their heads, accusing them of 'cyber' crimes. And what are these ? Saying nasty things about people. Giving the country a bad image. Tut-tutting the government and its leaders. Gee whiz, these are the sorts of things that bring down our society? Give me a break!
I never knew that a handful of bloggers could be so powerful. So okay, they are writing about people in positions of authority, such as cops, doing things they shouldn't, like take money for um...services rendered. Or, they are reminding people who read blogs that there are a heck of a lot of pots in Parliament calling kettles black. Some are just reporting on the truly imbecilic things that our allegedly esteemed leaders insist on saying. Some of these, especially the idiocies, are in the mainstream media anyway. While others are noticeably absent, or are, shall we say, spun in such a way that they sound better than they are.
But just because some bloggers talk about these, life the Malaysian way will go down the tubes? Such faith we have in ourselves! If this was true, Raja Petra would be the most powerful man in Malaysia.
Unless of course, among those alleged 'lies', there is the tiniest grain of truth. And when people are feeling guilty, not even such tiny grains can be allowed to come out. Siapa makan cili and all that. So let's bring the mother of all hammers down on that tiny grain because otherwise, oh lor', it might just grow!
I don't have to reiterate it here but if we do have to worry about our image in the eyes of the world, it is the politicians we should be pointing accusing fingers at. Idiots like Bung Mokhtar and his 'bocor' remarks, Badaruddin Whatshisface and Jo B, both unfortunately from my home state, Zam, our Minister of Propaganda and of course , our 'favourite' nazi Nazri. Yes it's all politics but does politics have to be so stupid? (Did anyone see the US Democratic Presidential candidate debate the other night? Can you imagine any of our lunkheads doing that?)
And this is the thing...how did we get to a point when we are embarassed by our own leaders, when we feel ashamed to own up to them? Can we even name one of them that we even admire these days? Even if we don't agree with them but we can still admire them for their principles at least? What examples do they set for our children, for God's sake? Is it any wonder that in that survey not too long ago, our politicians came out last when people were asked who they trusted? Who in their right minds would trust Nazri?
(Lest anyone think I only consider Government politicians untrustworthy, let me state that I wouldn't lend money to any of the rest either.)
And we wonder why our young are disinterested in politics? Who can blame them? Rockstars and actors sound far more intelligent than our politicians any time. I'd rather tune in to Bono than Bung , no contest.
Maybe that's it. They know they have nothing to offer. They know they're skating on thin ice in the brain stakes. They know we can see through them. They don't mind us thinking it but they sure as hell would rather we didn't say it. Or worse still, say it and then give a cynical laugh. They think we're making them look like idiots, without once thinking that they're doing a pretty good job of it themselves. That's what they find unforgiveable.
Hey you know, if any little thing I say makes Nazri foam at the mouth and gives him ulcers, well I don't mind that. If Zam's eyes pop out every time I call him out on any of his nonsense, that would give me a real kick. I could really get off on making any of these guys (and the occasional girl) burst a vessel or two.
In fact, I might start thinking I do have some power after all.
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