Shabery, WTF Blogger Engagement is This?

When the new Minister of Information, Dato Ahmad Shabery Cheek first expressed intention to engage the Bloggers about more than a week ago, I am one of the first few who gave a welcoming comment in Rocky Bru’s blog to this positive attitude towards bloggers by some Government official.

I appreciated the PM’s humble admittance that the government ignored Bloggers at their peril. Hopefully he understood that bloggers are citizen journalist or citizens expressing freely their opinions, thoughts and comments.

Alas, two days later the Alor Star court passed a judgement to award RM7 million to Tan Sri Dr Nordin Kardi on an article by Raja Petra Kamaruddin claiming Dr Nordin committed plagiarism. I am not about to dispute the court’s decision made in default but with the recent exposure as in the images below, Nordin Kardi actually plagariased a UIA student article as his own for the Islam Hadhari website!



Isn’t it now a cause of embarassment to the Government?

Now it is hardly a few days since the court judgement, yet we have Datuk Seri Khaled Nordin making the ignoramous comment below claiming to the effect that the Government’s and Pak Lah UMNO faction of “cybertrooper” was denied access to reply.

Mac 30hb, 2008
Berita Minggu


Laman Blog sekat maklumat sahih

Oleh Khirul Bahri Basaruddin

JOHOR BARU: MENTERI Pengajian Tinggi, Datuk Seri Nordin Mohamed Khalid Nordin membidas pengendali laman blog di negara ini kerana menyekat pengaliran maklumat sahih dan tepat yang ingin disalurkan kerajaan bagi menjawab semua tomahan disiarkan dalam blog mereka.

Sehubungan itu, beliau menabar pengendali laman blog supaya berani memberi ruang yang sama kepada pelawat mereka dan kerajaan untuk membuat ulasan bahan atau laporan yang disiarkan dalam blog.

“Saya ingin cabar pengendali laman blog supaya berani semuka untuk menegakkan kebenaran dan bukannya hanya menyiarkan ulasan atau komen sebelah pihak. Kita sudah cuba menghantar ulasan isu tertentu, tetapi bila kit amasuk laman blog berkenaan, kita lihat jawapan yang kita hantar mereka tidak siarkan.

“Sebaliknya, mereka hanya menyiarkan komen yang mengutuk serta memfitnah kerajaan sehingga perkara yang tidak benar jika disiarkan berkali=kali dalam tempoh yang agak lama akan mempengaruhi pembaca terutama golongan muda.”
Beliau berkata demikian kepada pemberita selepas merasmikan Mesyuarat Agung Persatuan Ibu Bapa Guru (PIBG) Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Johor Jaya 1, di sini semalam ….

Before I counter his comment, I must say he has been honourably consistent with the stand that people should not be listening to rumours. Unfortunately that stand was made in defense of Khairy Jamaluddin (Refer to the Utusan Malaysia August 7th, 2006). In a cryptic way, it could be him trying to dispell rumours he kissed Khairy's hand or perhaps gave a low respectful nod to Khairy in a public event. Worse still, I persistent suspect of corruption from

In politics, where perception is more real than official statements, defend or dissociate yourself, Khaled! Otherwise, the stigma of being associated with Khairy and perceived benefit from it will cause the lost of your MKT seat.

My immediately response is blogs and websites of Pak Lah's faction and Government has been most guilty of blocking comments. KPMU and the defunct Macai.net totally blocked comments upon being criticised by commentators. Look at SoPo Sentral blog to identify the type of blogs and portals that refuse comments and you'll will understand what I mean.

If he is serious about Government trying to get their comments through to explain their side of the story, tell me why did the BN Backbenchers Club website closed its Forum section at one time? I am not sure if its reopened again but its obvious they did not make any attempt to answer critical comments made against them by their own BN supporters.

Forum MyKMU, an UMNO supporter portal that is not with Pak Lah's faction is free and open to anyone to register and chat, even for Opposition.

I can confidently say that only a minute minority websites and blogs disallow comments and almost all appreciate comments, even that of opposing views as long it is not rude, obnoxious and revolting. The problem with the Pak Lah faction "cybertroopers" are that they are cybervandalist indulging in childish immature acts.

Since Zaid Ibrahim got reprimanded for making statement on judicial apology without consulting the Cabinet first (which I agree), did Shabery Cheek and Pak Lah received Cabinet approval to engage Bloggers? Or this is what they understand by engaging Bloggers?

However, I am happy that Dato Seri Dr Khir Toyo has started and Dato Lim Kheng Yaik is considering serious blogging?

That’s for now. Bloggers, fire away!