Indian Temple Demolition and Chaos: Mainstream Media Silence
October 31, 2007
Pic from E Contrario
A 30-year old Indian temple was demolished on October 30th. Did you know that such a thing actually happened? I sure as heck didn’t until my colleague alerted me with some blog posts.
So what does the mainstream media in Malaysia have to say? (as of 11pm on Wednesday, certainly more than 24 hours after incident)
Bernama : Can’t find, tarak, ilek.
nst.com.my: Can’t find also, tarak, ilek, maybe tomorrow.
thestar.com.my: Samy: Give alternative sites for demolished temples
In fact, just go google the thing. You’ll only find that thestar.com.my is the only one that reported it. Searched on Google News.
So from reading that article, most people will have thought that it was a very smooth operation. People welcomed the demolition crew with open arms, served them tea, shoot the bull a little, then step aside to let the demolition crew do their job.
What you may not know is that the mainstream media is very good at white-washing very important news like this.
If you take a look at the local blogosphere, you would start to see a different picture.
Get some first hand reports from:
Kg Rimba Jaya
shah alam temple demolishment details
The Police Must Be Crazy
News posted here as well:
Temple demolition leads to all-out fracas (Subscription needed)
Blood and Mayhem Against Kg Rimba Settlers - Baton Beatings, Knife Stabs, Gun Shots
Justice behind bars, a Malaysian tragedy
Now who said bloggers were stupid? If this is not proof that the blogs and alternative news media convey news better than the mainstream media, then I don’t know what is.
This story was so low-key in thestar.com.my that it didn’t even get to the “Most Viewed” panel. Instead, the second most viewed item was “Woman surprises PM with stalk of rose“. I mean, come on, there’s more news going on in the country than some lady giving a rose. That is pretty lame news, bordering on tabloid material.
Normally, I would end with “XXX says the darndest things”, but this time, I’ll just say:
Mainstream media DOESN’T say a darn thing!
You Might Find These Interesting
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13 Responses to “Indian Temple Demolition and Chaos: Mainstream Media Silence”
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the tamil and chinese papers carried the story on 31st. However nothing on radio and TV. TV3 had slot for sothinathan’s injuction, story about khir toyo’s meru garbage collection success, samy velu in parliment, but no time show one of the biggest crisis affecting indian community, and shah alam. still nothing on NST and Sun. While i heard there was an article on utusan.
November 1, 2007 at 12:12 am
forgot to add, TV3 even had time to talk about the brutality and human rights violations in Myanmar…what a joke!
November 1, 2007 at 12:14 am
poobalan,
Were the Tamil papers fair in their reporting? Was it under-reported and made to seem like nothing much happened at all?
Samy Vellu has spoken up and this thing can’t be kept under wraps much longer.
November 1, 2007 at 1:05 am
[...] listed some links to blog reactions on a previous post but a more comprehensive list can be found here. Posted by Kenny Law Filed in Current [...]
November 2, 2007 at 11:09 pm
[...] in Klang Blood and Mayhem Against Kg Rimba Settlers - Baton Beatings, Knife Stabs, Gun Shots Indian Temple Demolition and Chaos: Mainstream Media Silence Shah Alam temple demolished and media blackout Shah Alam temple demolishment details The Police [...]
November 3, 2007 at 1:06 am
[...] in Klang Blood and Mayhem Against Kg Rimba Settlers - Baton Beatings, Knife Stabs, Gun Shots Indian Temple Demolition and Chaos: Mainstream Media Silence Shah Alam temple demolished and media blackout Shah Alam temple demolishment details The Police [...]
November 3, 2007 at 5:23 pm
All indian in malaysia there are serever their rights…
If you did not satisfied with this lovely country, just simple go away to India back…
November 4, 2007 at 2:54 pm
Not only a temple, the surau and all of the houses of kg.rimba jaya was demolished. My mother is a teacher nearbt that kampung and she said her pupils had to sleep in their parents van and cars. They had to take their exams and all. Can you imagine that the this government allows this to happen?
November 5, 2007 at 12:34 pm
[...] religions in this country by destroying the churches and temples in Malaysia? Oh wait, I forgot, we are already doing that, aren’t [...]
November 23, 2007 at 2:11 am
Hard to believe that Malaysia is turning into a Taliban state already.
December 4, 2007 at 11:08 pm
jeff,
I don’t know bout Taliban state, but here’s another demolished temple today.
December 4, 2007 at 11:13 pm
Main stream media is Malaysia is a joke to the phrase “freedom of press” , they only can report nice news that suit the ruling party, not the truth in Malaysia.
Freedom of expression become no freedom after expression if they print the “truth”in the present Malaysia.
December 6, 2007 at 12:33 am
to all indians plz open ur eyes and start 2 fight 4 ur rights…
we need our temple back….
January 28, 2008 at 11:53 am