BUM2010 – Sparks May Fly!!
By Eyes Wide Open
This year’s B.U.M. event is shaping up to be even more interesting than previous years. Last year saw panel larger-than-life speakers such as the inimitable Dr M making a show.
This year, we have a number of controversial speakers weighing in their opinions on the state of media in the country.
In one corner, there’s Zaini Hassan, the Utusan deputy editor-in-chief whose writing landed Teresa Kok under ISA arrest. In the other corner, Teresa Kok — who’s suing Utusan — is a speaker at the event too. But she’s in a different panel session so maybe they won’t be in the same room together. But they may bump into each other between sessions. We’ll be waiting to see what sparks may fly. Rest assured, our cameras will be on the ready!
Zaini’s session is themed “Coverage by Mainstream Media — Insights and Perspectives” and will be moderated by our good friend Rockybru, now Malay Mail head honcho.
Hmm, we’ll be sure to ask what “insights” and “perspectives” Zaini has about Utusan’s inflammatory articles and op-eds.
In the panel together with Zaini are Citizen Nades and Star‘s managing editor, P. Gunasegaram.
Remember Guna? He wrote the opinion piece about the caning of the three unwed mothers under Syariah law that the Star unceremoniously took down the next day and begged forgiveness for.
So we’re wondering what “insights” and “perspectives” Guna will be sharing. And guess what? Both Zaini and Guna were Journalists of the Year — the awards given by the National Press Club at its infamous show earlier this year. (Rocky is NPC president). What a reunion party – just don’t get caught on camera with a bottle of Jack’s!
Other highlights will be that Shar101 will be there to sign autographs (That’s a definite MAYBE!) So Non-Partisan may turn up to harass him with some more schizoid love! Oooh…MORE sparks!
The press release below from the organisers. If you wanna attend, just click on the BUM2010 site below. It’s open to everyone.
BUM 2010 on May 22
The bloggers’ event of the year – popularly referred to as Bloggers Universe Malaysia or ‘BUM 2010’ – will be held on Saturday, May 22 at the Lake View Club, Subang Jaya.
Themed ‘Bloggers moving Malaysia forward’, BUM2010 will feature Selangor Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim in a keynote address, and also the Minister of Federal Territories and Urban Wellbeing, Raja Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidin in a special presentation on Internet-related issues.
This year’s event, fourth in the BUM series, is also to mark World Press Freedom Day which fell on May 3. It is organised by the Centre for Policy Initiatives (CPI) in association with All-Blogs (the national alliance of bloggers) and a group of socio-political bloggers.
According to BUM2010 organising chairman YL Chong a.k.a. Desiderata, the bloggers in the organising committee serve in their individual capacity and do not represent any specific political interests.
Chong also notes that both sides of the political divide are represented with the participation of Pakatan’s Khalid and Barisan’s Raja Nong Chik.
There will be three panel discussions on current topics of interest.
The noon session in Bahasa Malaysia titled ‘The ‘Allah’ issue: Various perspectives’ will feature Haris Ibrahim of
The People’s Parliament, Khalid Samad, MP for Shah Alam and Datuk Zaid Ibrahim, lawyer.
The evening forum titled ‘Bloggers Role in bridging the religious divide’ will feature Kuala Selangor MP Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad, Seputeh MP Teresa Kok MP and Human Rights Party pro-tem secretary P. Uthayakumar.
All the sessions will have a Q & A to encourage audience participation.
CPI director Dr Lim Teck Ghee predicts, “This is likely to be a day full of hotly contested opinions and points of view on key divisive issues confronting Malaysia. But we believe that the presentations and dialogue can serve as the basis for clearer thinking rather than the muddled-headed pronouncements and political spinning that has been so prevalent.”
Places for the full-day event are limited to only 200 on a first-come-first-served basis. Fees at RM60 cover a quickie lunch, hi-tea, and buffet dinner.
Registration details are available at bum4msia.wordpress.com.
hartalmsm.wordpress.com 
Just wonderig…why is HartalMSM promoting an event with journalists from the MSM?
Well. we are often accused of being partisan. But we are not.
EWO!
Please la. I’m sure you can think of other words. Why use “partisan”? I “trademark” this already la 😀
Anyway, dinner tonight how? Confirmed?