Boycott the media, or buy them

by Dean Johns

As is once again being demonstrated in China during the current unrest by Tibetans and other marginalized and persecuted minorities, rule by a corrupt and unjust regime depends on media dedicated to pushing state propaganda instead of reporting the truth.

And as recently shown in Malaysia, cracks that open up in the state wall of silence and deceit can prove highly liberating to an information-starved populace.

But not liberating enough so far, as despite the best efforts of web newspapers and bloggers, far too many Malaysians are still victims of the meretricious, mealy-mouthed “mainstream” media.

And the government, however battered and bruised it’s been by its encounter with a less ignorant electorate than it’s been accustomed to, clearly has no intention of changing the situation.

Firsi published in Malaysiakini on March 26, 2008