Before the general election and on February 7 this year, "BERSIH group" filed a lawsuit against New Straits Times Press (Malaysia) Berhad and Farrah Naz Karim, the author of a September 21, 2012 article titled “Plot to destabilise government”.
Brave girl!
One lawsuit against one of NST's most provocative writing and a court case would spill out the facts and evidences for the public to view, yet they did not defend their article and reporter to admit defeat and apologise. Ayam betul ....
Unlike Utusan, one do not hear much lawsuit against NST. One that is still entrench in our memory is their lawsuit against Dato Rocky Bru at the insistence of the evil Singaporean spy, Dato Kalimullah Hassan.
Utusan Malaysia was sued left, right and centre but yet they could take it in stride. There are lawsuits that need to be defended, there are those that can be counter sued, and there are those that a settlement is better. One can see them handling it.
For someone like Farrah, who had won acknowledgement and ccolades in her career as journalist, surely she would have materials and proof to back her allegations and claims.
As Rocky pointed out here, Farrah's article on these organisations' foreign funding "had been said in Parliament by our MPs and Cabinet Ministers, uttered in public rallies before the last General Election and on TV and radio by BN leaders, and written in the columns of the various pro-Government newspapers and publications."
Is NST indirectly saying they are all wrong?
Partisan inclined political organisation like BERSIH, SUARAM, CIJ and Merdeka Center usually sue to stop the article from spreading. Usually they do not go all the way. One can observe from the spree of political lawsuit retractions recently. So why the sorry?
At most, a judgement and that's it. Even judgement in favour of the plaintiff are not enforce till the defendent is adjudicated as bankrupt like Dato Dr Rais Yatim against blogger Sharpshooter.
Since their intention is to stop the article from spreading, we are not going to allow that and reproduce the article again. Biaqpila ....it is already out there.
Plot to destabilise governmentOne wonder what is NST good at.
News Straits Times
September 21, 2012
By Farah Naz Karrim
KUALA LUMPUR: Investigators probing into the financial background of several non-governmental organisations have uncovered attempts by foreign hands to destabilise the government.
Sources revealed that from 2005 to last year, almost RM20 million, courtesy of the Washington-based National Endowment for Democracy (NED), had allegedly been channelled to:
- SUARAM (RM1.6 million);
- NATIONAL Democratic Institute for Inter- national Affairs (NDI) (RM4.6 million);
- MKINI Dotcom Sdn Bhd (RM298,000); and,
- OTHERS (RM13.3 million).
The monies were also allegedly channelled to the Southeast Asia Centre for e-Media (Seacem), Southeast Asian Press Alliance and the Centre for Independent Journalism.
From last year, several other setups, namely Bersih, Merdeka Center for Opinion Research, Lawyers for Liberty, Liberal Banter Sdn Bhd as well as the International Republican Institute, began receiving funds from NED, an organisation that had been claimed to have "played a significant role in attempting to destabilise legitimate governments and replace them with client proxies".
Bersih co-chairman Datuk S. Ambiga was reported recently to have admitted that Bersih had received funds from the NDI as well as New York-based Open Society Institute, the administrator for programmes under the Open Society Institute founded by maverick currency speculator George Soros.
NED, on its website, said "it is a private, non-profit foundation dedicated to the growth and strengthening of democratic institutions around the world".
It also claims to be a unique institution where it could provide "flexibility that makes it possible to work in some of the most difficult circumstances, and to respond quickly when there is an opportunity for political change".
It is believed that organisations with "programmes consistent with its objectives" are awarded grants.
Sources also revealed that Suaram, which is under several investigations, including for allegedly raising funds while operating as an unregistered society as well as for serious violations of at least five sections of the Companies Act, along with Suaram and Suara Inisiatif Sdn Bhd the company that is linked to it, had four known foreign funders.
Aside from NED's estimated RM1.6 million already in its coffers, Suaram is also believed to have received RM774,000 (between 2008 and last year) from New York-based Open Society Institute, the administrator for programmes under the Open Society Institute.
The German embassy, meanwhile in 2010, allegedly gave Suaram RM21,400.
It was reported that the embassy had admitted that it funded Suaram's project that particular year.
Another RM34,000 was also allegedly channelled to Suaram by Seacem.
The links of these establishments are apparent, with Seacem on its website acknowledging that it was supported by OSI.
Seacam, meanwhile, under its fellowship programme, offers its fellows placement in Malaysiakini.
Suaram's accounts and "money trail" are also allegedly being looked into by Bank Negara Malaysia.
Recently, Domestic Trade, Cooperative and Consumerism Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob called on Bank Negara to probe Suaram under the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act 2001.
He had also asked the Home Ministry and Registrar of Societies to determine Suaram's status.
Many quarters have questioned the need to have outside influence interfering in the country's political agenda.
They have also called on several key opposition figures including Parti Keadilan Rakyat's Tian Chua, Suaram director Kua Kia Soong and co-founder R. Sivarasa to explain why Suaram was being funded by foreign parties, including by Soros, when he had allegedly masterminded plans to bring the country's economy down.
They had also been asked to clarify whether they had received foreign funding to support their political activities.
Former PKR leader Ng Lum Yong had demanded that the trio publicly explain Suaram's funding as the people wanted to understand its true role as an organisation.
"The people have the right to know about Suaram's true political agenda and its motives," Ng said.
In an interview with BH last night, International Movement for a Just World (JUST) president Professor Dr Chandra Muzaffar said NED had been known to lend substantial financial support to NGOs in particular countries like Egypt, Tunisia, Libya and Syria.
He claimed it had been uncovered that such efforts had been going on aggressively over the past five years in the name of democratic freedom with the objective of making people rise up against leaders who were allegedly deemed to be cruel.
He also claimed they handed out assistance with the objective of stirring up the people, and their contribution was akin to udang disebalik batu.
"We know of their activities in several countries as what has happened in the Arab world, leading to the Arab Spring uprising.
"There is also proof they provided assistance to groups opposing leaders in South and Central America at one time with the excuse that the leaders were tyrants and undemocratic.
"Similarly, they were believed to have assisted rebels to oppose Russian President Vladimir Putin."
Chandra, who is also the chairman of 1Malaysia Foundation, said the credibility of such an organisation which claims to support institutions of freedom and democracy was questionable as it could threaten global security.
He added that those behind the body included Zionist groups which maintain good relations with the Jewish government.
They don't seem to be able to sell their newspapers and make money. At least, be brave to write something and defend it.
Hmmm ... kalau jual dan tulis suratkhabar pun tak tahu, baik jual ayam.
14 comments:
NST tak ada telor. Or is it the BN government tak ada telor?
This is their best chance to spill out the truth about these Foreign Agents, yet they chicken out. Celaka punya kerajaan. Belanja RM7.2 Billion on consultant boleh pulak. Takut Karpal Singh ke?
How can they defend an article when they admit it was fabricated and they had no evidence to defend it?
That's not being ayam - that's facing reality.
If as you say there was some truth to it then surely they would have produced it?
If you read their 'apology' it states clearly they made it up
Mazlan
They admit because they got no balls.
Did anyone ever thought for a second as to why just blame on Farrah?
Farrah won an award and wrote many interesting exposes like prison life and seedy side of Kota Baru.
If her story is questionable, NST must seriously ask who was the idiot that allowed it's release?
Mesti banyak editor buta in NST ...........
The sources was the now-defunked National Communications Team headed by some two-bit ex journalists.
The NCT was closed down almost immediately after GE13 as the political pay masters felt it was a big flop.
NCT also got into scandal for pocketing some money meant for Utusan Malaysia.
Jalil Hamid the NST Group Editor in Chief's last job was as NCT Chairman.
Farah is as seedy as her stories. She is a pros to the establishment.
Farah reporter may have won awards...but you know malaysian awards, they have little credibility. Since NST didi not defend her, she should do the honourable thing and just resign from NST. But what will probably happen is that this girl will be given a promotion.
Receiving foreign funds (a paltry RM20m-why didn't they quote it in USD? not sensational enough USD6m?) covering a period of 6 years for more than 5 NGO's is not newsworthy-even the JKKK gets more than this).
And to equate this with a plot to stabilise the government...is so laughable. UMNO divisional elections incur more than RM20mil to destabilise an UMNO division..
sri hartamas
BN aka UMNO too have foreign funding that why the appologies, what else can it be?
NST unlike Utusan which got the UMNO piggy bank to defend their lies.
Firstly they admit they did not 'verify' their sources.
Secondly the admit that "they had no proof whatsoever to substantiate their allegations".
That is pretty basic journalistic processes to follow.
Thus not only is the reporter a liar but that the editors failed to do their job.
If that happened at say the 'Washington Post', The Guardian or any other well known papers the editors and reporter would be fired.
This ranks as total stupidity and incompetence.
The thing that stinks about this apology is that it gives the impression that all of the data presented is made up, when in fact at least some of it can be easily verified.
The NED, for example, publishes details of recipients of its grants in its annual report because it is required to do so in order to get money from the US Congress. According to these annual reports, the Malaysian recipients, amongst others are:
Malaysiakini USD400k (2009-12)
Suaram USD535k (2005-11)
Merdeka Centre USD135k (2011-12)
There's also the Islamic Renaissance Front which got USD50k last year. You may remember them for criticizing the govt on the Allah issue recently.
But most of the money NED channels to Malaysia went to the International Republican Institute and National Democratic Institute which have been implicated with involvement in coups in Latin America and the Arab Spring. That NED, NDI and IRI are all creations of Ronald Reagan and the chairman of IRI is John McCain should tell us something about their objectives.
The fact that Suaram, Malaysiakini et al, are involved with and have been getting money from these groups IS newsworthy. It's a shame that NST managed to really botch it.
i dunno about Utusan taking their lawsuits in stride as how you put it. Isn't it one of the reasons why they are crying out to UMNO to have GLC's advertise in them? Cause and effect bro
I totally agree that NST should defend the lawsuit. Call Bersih's bluff.
Heard Cecil Abraham was only worried of the title. Bersih side will argue that they have no intention to topple the government. only fighting for human rights and various mumbo jumbo claims.
Actually most of the allegations written in Fara article can be substantiated and proven. The game played by Bersih's follows a trend by American operatives in Philippines and other countries.
Heck . . .the whole of oppositions modes operandi follows Gene Sharpe to the letter and can be showed.
Even if NST loses, at least all these is laid out in court and both side of the media can report. Rakyat will be made aware and form their own opinions.
Usually judge's judgement is based on a certain premise. There is room for the public to continue to debate on the judgement.
A good spin can turn a loss into a moral victory. More important, the public is more aware of the threat posed by Bersih's and the opposition.
If NST is so worried of losing money from the lawsuit, the should go into the more lucrative chicken rearing business. As chickens themselves, they no the business better than newspaper business.
However, without guts and brevity, they can't do anything else. stay home and fondle their cocks.
Nst @ surat khabar nyamuk...
Bising je lebih...bila kena tepuk terus penyek... Macam ayam penyet...
Semua kat nst dan jpm makan gaji buta je..
Wasn't it Bersih that called the NST's bluff?
If it was a game of high-stakes poker, I guess that NST looked at it's hole card and decided to fold.
It's well and good if matters could be thrashed out in open court, with both sides' lawyers allowed full leeway to call witnesses and cross-examine them.
That could include laying bare all sources of funding for all parties.
In any case, the government doesn't want to, I think, unnecessarily piss off the US Democrat and Republican Parties. After all, one or the other will produce the next US President and Administration. And you don't want to mess around with them.
So save the caterwauling for the cognoscenti. And if you feel that strongly about it, go burn the Stars and Stripes in front of the US Embassy in KL, or shout the appropriate slogans.
Realpolitik works a whole lot differently.
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