Malaysians Say The Darndest Things!

Using Tear Gas On Innocent People Is Not Violence

November 13, 2007

Today, Malaysians Say The Darndest Things will look at our country’s Information Minister, Datuk Seri Zainuddin Maidin, or more fondly known as Zam.
To most Malaysians (or bloggers), this is a man that needs no further introduction since he started calling Malaysian bloggers ‘goblok’.

He has been spouting off a lot on government-owned media for the past few weeks, but I got too caught up with the Bersih gathering to actually care what he said.
At least not until today, when he slammed Al-Jazeera’s coverage of the event.
Following the coverage, here was his public rant during a phone interview with Al-Jazeera.

Now that you’ve heard the phone interview, I must first say one thing. Us ‘goblok’ bloggers and blog readers should not make fun of the man’s stuttering English. I know I can’t speak fluently in Malay so I will not be a hypocrite. To those who can speak fluent English and Malay, then by all means, please make fun.

Also, us ‘goblok’ bloggers should also not point out to Zam that Burma and Myanmar are the same countries. It’s quite rude to point out the mistakes of a respected member of the cabinet. Us bloggers are ‘goblok’ and we don’t want the Information Minister to make us shoulder another moniker like ‘biadap’.

So anyway, apart from the phone interview, he saw fit to talk about al-Jazeera again in the government-owned media today. Zam slams Al Jazeera’s coverage

Basically, I think he was trying to point out that the station was unfair in its coverage, that it only showed the opposition and did not ask the government for its views. This ‘goblok’ blogger would like to remind Zam that he already has RTM, TV3, ntv7, TheStar, Bernama, Berita Harian (oh, the neverending list). Control so many already, still wanna control other foreign station meh?
This ‘goblok’ blogger, for one, will personally write a letter to al-Jazeera to rebuke them for not showing more government views, if and only if Zam opens up access to the government-owned media to the opposition.

But here’s a classic from Zam:

Zainuddin said Al Jazeera’s coverage gave the impression that the police were violent when they actually took minimum action to control the crowd.

“The police only used water cannons and tear gas and did not shoot anyone,” he said.

Now read this account from a Malaysian who got hit by the close proximity of tear gas, twice .
If Zam says tear gas on innocent people is not violent on innocent people, then does it mean it was humane? What if the people had thrown eggs at the police? I am sure the government-owned media would readily and instantly paint the picture of a very violent demonstration.

Oh well, he’s the country’s Information Minister, and after all, he is just doing his job. Keep up the good work Zam! My blog needs you and your golden moments so that I don’t have to think too hard for topics to write.

Zam says the darndest things!

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