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| The TV station has stooped to gutter politics to tarnish the Opposition Leader's image. |
COMMENT
Sparing no efforts to finish off Anwar Ibrahim – the man who, after five years as deputy prime minister, found himself dethroned and later went on to stir the fire of reformation among the people – has revealed the depth of nastiness the country’s politics has stooped to.
Going after Anwar’s blood, by hook or crook, has also proved that while politics in this country has long been bastardised by unscrupulous minds, politicians continue to shamelessly display their insecurity over the loss of power and are willing to do whatever it takes to stay in power.
Working in cahoots to perpetuate the infamy is TV3, which has proven to be the least objective television station around. Owners Media Prima are sparing no efforts in joining hands with Umno in doing what it takes to kill off Umno’s most dreaded enemy, Anwar, leader of Pakatan Rakyat, the three-party opposition alliance.
Recently, TV3 in an act so callous aired on its prime time news at 8pm the controversial sex video clip allegedly depicting Anwar, 63, with an unknown woman. This clip was lurid in that it depicted the man in a compromising situation with his female partner.
And it was none other than Rahim Tamby Chik – the former chief minister of Malacca who years ago lost his position after news broke out that he had sex with a schoolgirl – who, together with two others, showed the video clip to media editors on March 21 this year, certain that it would put an end to Anwar.
If showing the video clip was TV3’s aim of humiliating Anwar and burying him, it is far from successful. Instead, it only earned TV3 public condemnation, for the station’s lack of discretion in showing a video clip entailing “closed-door” acts. And that day, too, TV3 made it obvious that it will do whatever is necessary to satisfy its political master, Umno.
Since TV3 is owned by Media Prima, which is linked to Umno, there is no saying what more this television station is capable of doing to appease its “bosses”.
TV3 no longer objective
The puerile action by TV3 is nothing new. When it comes to topics concerning sexuality, TV3 notoriously goes to town depicting the marginalised communities be they gays, lesbians, bisexuals or transgenders as deviants.
On days when a by-election or general election is at hand, TV3 becomes the able puppet of Umno, its strings pulled by this ruling party any which way it desires.
A shame that the mainstream media can no longer be relied upon when it comes to free and fair reporting in their servitude to the ruling party Umno.
Taking the Anwar sex clip to a level so crass has made it clear that Umno is determined at all cost never to allow the Pakatan Rakyat alliance the slightest chance of making it to Putrajaya, the country’s cradle of power. And getting rid of Anwar is the only way for Umno to enjoy a good night’s sleep.
While Umno continues to spin its web of deceit, the party’s air-tight control over news channnels like TV3, TV9 and ntv7 has only worsened public’s opinion of the gross play of cheap tactics employed by Umno in wanting to exert absolute power, forever.
TV3 had no qualms going to town with the sex clip claiming to feature Anwar, yet this station had no guts to take on corrupt ministers who engage in breach of trust, corruption and betray the trust of the people.
Be it Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak’s alleged affair with Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu or the fact that Information, Communications and Culture Minister Rais Yatim was said to have raped his domestic helper, TV3 avoided these and many other issues that demanded public scrutiny like the plague.
There is no doubt left that TV3 has long become a slave to the “powers that be”, compromising its duty to its viewers and dishing out what its political masters dictate.
TV3 etc stop playing politics
Making judgment is not the job of a news channel. Yet, this is what TV3 knows best when its prime time news readers unabashedly conclude that only Umno can best administer this nation.
Watching the manner in which coverage was accorded to Anwar, it was clear that TV3 is never more thrilled than when it has the chance to show Anwar at his worst, losing his cool time and again when asked by reporters about the DNA or Omega watch.
For this television station, painting as ugly a picture of Anwar as possible is supposedly doing the country a favour, sort of cautioning the people that this is one man who is not fit to assume leadership responsibilities. After all, Anwar was charged with sodomy and corruption, the latter seeing him sentenced to six years in prison in 1999.
Whether Anwar makes a good leader or otherwise is not for Media Prima to decide. Nor is it the news stations’ work to play judge and jury, passing judgment on all that Anwar does.
It is clear that TV3 has turned deviant, its raison d’être now determined by none other than Umno. How long more does TV3 plan to humiliate itself in the eyes of the people? Many are tired with the station’s hidden agenda and have decided to boycott it.
Jeswan Kaur FMT
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