NST vs Jeff Ooi, Kadir Jasin & Anor

The Clash of Civilisation begins - It's not David vs Golaith; It's Jeff & Partners vs Big Man NST.

What's the problem?

Jeff said it was "The readers asked me whether the cartoon is tentamount to mocking Prophet Mohammad?

They also asked me, by carrying the derogatory comic at a time when the global controversy over the offensive caricature of Prophet Mohammad is about to ease off, whether it serves anybody any purpose?"

Jeff posed this question: "Was there a hidden message from these seasoned mainstream journalists?"

Sarawak Tribune was suspended indefinitely for posting the caricatures, Guangming Daily was suspended for 2 weeks, starting from Feb 16 - March 1 for posting a picture-within-a-picture.

But, how about this?

Aisehman in his article A Mockery had this to add:

"So if anyone in the NST would listen, let me lay it out for you: The cartoon you published need not have depicted the Prophet for it to be offensive to Islam. Furthermore, the act of re-publishing the cartoon is a direct challenge to Muslim sensitivities, compounding what in the first instance was likely an oversight. The NST is right. There is a difference between it, and Sarawak Tribune and Guang Ming Daily. The Tribune and Guang Ming apologised for their mistakes. The NST hasn't, and remains unrepentant. As far as the Muslim in me is concerned, what is unpardonable is that the top Muslim officials in the NST seem to have no qualms in remaining defiant."

This is an abstract of what the NST responded

WHAT do you see in this cartoon? Does it mock Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) as suggested by Berita Publishing editor-in-chief Datuk Abdul Kadir Jasin in an SMS to New Straits Times Press group editor-in-chief Datuk Hishamuddin Aun yesterday morning? Or as echoed later by Kadir’s columnist in his Malaysian Business, Jeff Ooi, shortly after that on his blog?

Does it mock Islam? So say Kadir, Ooi and the ones (PAS & MAPAN) who lodged police reports against the NST yesterday. But before we get caught up in the violent wave that has swept some parts of the Islamic world and which, by the grace of Allah s.w.t. has not affected either Malaysia or Indonesia, we should ask ourselves whether the attacks on the NST are out of genuine concern for the multi-racial and multi-religious fabric of the country and the image of Islam,

or "whether there are politics and other personal vendettas involved."

As far as Kadir and Ooi are concerned, one only has to read the back issues of Malaysian Business and previous postings on the blog to see how doggedly they have, as comrades-in-arm, attacked the NSTP Group and its executives.

We want to defend the freedom that we crave to report as freely as we can; and Kadir and Ooi have exploited this freedom to the fullest. Glory to them.

But there are also others, some more powerful, who have had their crosshairs sighted on the unyielding editors of the group. Because, simply, these editors have tried to be as professional as possible, to give their readers the news as objectively as possible. And when the truth gets reported, some get hurt. The powerful ones will seek to protect themselves with whatever means at their disposal. Therefore, the issue we have to decide here is whether the cartoon has transgressed the limits; whether it has crossed the boundaries, and whether it has insulted Islam and the Prophet. If it has violated all these principles, then the Government must hold the NST and its editors accountable because no one nor any newspaper should get away with insulting ANY religion.

But at the same time, let us ponder the fundamental issue — do we continue to be a society where a vocal few, with personal vendettas and less than honourable motives, can whip up sentiments and make the innocent guilty?

What are we saying of our own selves and our country if we allow people with personal motives to capitalise on religious and racial sensitivities to victimise others?

So, was it "Personal Vendetta from Jeff and Abdul Kadir Jasin?

Many readers can't deny the fact that Jeff is still very sore as he can't forget, nor forgive, the events of yesteryear and the propagation by Berita Harian and NST who caused him much trouble and sleepless nights. Jeff was questioned by the police for a racial issue (read jeff's blog)

Vendetta?