Friday, August 08, 2008

Rais Yatim wants a new mechanism to monitor bloggers

Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim requested bloggers not to display their unhappiness with what is going on in the government by flying the national flag upside down.

Rais said that rather than resorting to such an act, it would be better for them to express their dissatisfaction through the proper channels like writing articles and to speak out on whom they disliked, what was wrong and what was inappropriate.

“Rather than bashing the flag, it’s better for them to take it out on the person concerned or the leaders that they don’t like,” Dr Rais added.

At the same time Rais has called for the creation of an internal council or mechanism to monitor bloggers.

He said that he was worried about enforcement which was not up to the mark and having such a council would help in enforcement.

He said that the arms of the law might not be long enough to reach bloggers outside the country but if the blogger was in the country, something could be done and it was all a question of will.

(Source: NST: Rais wants bloggers monitored, proposes watchdog council)

It is so ironical, so contrasting, so farcical, so ideologically frivolous and so bodohistic.

He want the bloggers to express their dissatisfaction through writing articles which speaks out on whom they dislike, what was wrong and what was appropriate.

But, at the same time, he wanted greater enforcement and a tighter monitoring mechanism to control what bloggers write, how they should write and what is expected from bloggers in their writing. That's the freedom of expression in our democratic system? Freedom to write whatever is approved and promoted?

What is freedom? Free to be a slave; free to be poor; free to write what they want you to write; free to pay; free to be arrested; free to accept what the system ruled you must accept; free to be free of freedom; free >>>>>>> Born Free! I am now confused with the meaning of freedom. I understand liberty and freedom and the need to promote peace and harmony for the greater good of the society; but society must be society at-large; not a segment of an elite society.

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

mave,
i just would like to know your stance on the campaign to hoist Malaysian flag upside down.

personally,i dont like it all this whole idea to hoist the flag upside down.many people had died defending the honour of our flag.a friend of my dad got shot and died during the combat against communist back in the 70's.that is just one example how people willing to honour the flag and integrity of our country.

Anonymous said...

tak dapat dinafikan ada bloggers yang "jahat".buat spekulasi yang bukan-bukan dan keluarkan kenyataan yang entah apa-apa.ada dalam satu blog yang saya baca kata Malaysia masih dibawah pemerintahan British!!!


huhhhhhhhh?

Unknown said...

ironical indeed but that is the hallmark of Msian MP - they never fail to trip over themselves.

Anonymous said...

whos is flying the malaysian flag upside down? did mave do it? nah.. i doubt so. pls don't accuse him unfairly. someone else maybe, but i am sure, not mave.

malaysia still under the british rule? nah.. no as well. if malaysia is under british rule, we won't see the nonsense that is happening now.

Cheers-man

Anonymous said...

When Rais Yatim talk about curbing bloggers, that mean he is neglecting his OWN WORK, but fooling around things that HE SHOULDN'T bother! You know, the smog problem RETURN. And what have Rais Yatim do? Nothing.

What ultimate weapon are most effective destroying a nation? Not war or weapon, but government itself!

Just look at Germany and Japan that start WWII. Eventually, those country people actually are liberate when the Allied forces beat their government.

East Germany bankrupt the country that lead to merging of Germany. etc.

Kickdefella post the upside down flag only is a way to show his dissatisfaction towards the government, however, he forget that the flag represent the nation, NOT the government.

Anonymous said...

Talk about freedom, in fact, freedom restriction are much greater.

The first rules of freedom are mutually exclusive, one cannot do anything that oppress other people freedom. Because the oppression will break the rules of freedom, and you no longer call it freedom.

It is the same logic as individual cannot strangle themselves to death with their own hand.

Malaysia and many 3rd world politikus love to use the illogical "absolute freedom" to fools people.

Anonymous said...

In response to the call, why not we setup an online poll of approval for each and every senior officer of the government including ministers and deputy ministers.

Then they can respond to the ratings on actions or stand they have taken. With this we know how well they fare and they will also know who are they serving. Are they serving the UMNO few or are they serving the needs and want of the rakyat in general. Hows that for a change?

Anonymous said...

If you pay them the next day all bloggers will working for the government.

RPK

Anonymous said...

"I am nothing!!!
Everybody having fun at the party
but I am the one to clean up the dishes..."

(Raisy Yatimmy)

Maverick SM said...

Youth attack,

I don't know why you want to know my stand on the flag issue. I have not spoken about it and have never thought about it.

There are others who felt it was a good way to express their distress; there are also others who felt that distress can be expressed in other ways and not using the flag as a tool.

To me, the subject issue is complex and can cause unnecessary conflict for no good reasons and will not be beneficial to the society at-large.

My stand? I won't object or disagree with those who believed it was a good expression. However, I respect my country and the flag represents my country which I belong.

Koala bear,

You are right about it; there can be all kinds of people who writes all kinds of thoughts or have their own way to express their sentiments. That is democracy and that's the complexity of the society.

Agnos,

Your statement is profound.

Cheers-man,

Thank you very much for the kind words. I will behave.

Moo_t,

In understanding freedom and liberty we have to accept social convention and the basis of jurisprudence.

Msiaman,

There's no point for online voting; it can be manipulated to suit. What is imminent is that a good govt never feared criticism and never would act to oppress and suppress the society.

RPK,

You may be right.

Raisy Yatimmy,

That's a good poem.

CaptainCaveman said...

BN definition of 'freedom' is what is 'free' for them but NOT 'free' for us!

Maverick SM said...

CaptainCaveman,

That's not what they mean; freedom means you are free to toe the line of orders and follow what's dictated to you. You are free, no need to pay.

CaptainCaveman said...

Correct Correct Correct

Anonymous said...

What the minister would have said would be, "Korek, korek, korek.."

Maverick SM said...

kj,

No lah! they are all clean men.