However, the existence of such a two-page “Special Report for Foreign Policy LAs”, purportedly issued by American Defense Council, 1747 Pennsylvania Avenue 1000 Washington DC 20006 (2021271-3959), faxed to the Washington office of Bernama does not prove anything as Bernama has still to discharge the onus of proof that it had not perpetrated the biggest hoax in Malaysian journalism unless it could prove the actual existence of the American Defense Council, that it is an “influential American group” and that its report had been circulated to aides of all US Congressmen.
Without waiting for Bernama to prove that it had not perpetrated the biggest hoax in Malaysian journalism, and that it is not a phantom report, UMNO information chief Datuk Mustapha Mohamad had jumped onto the bandwagon claiming that “the American Defence Council’s report on the dangers posed by Pas to Malaysian democracy is proof that foreigners are against the party ruling the country”. (New Straits Times)
Malaysians are entitled to know the true and full circumstances of the so-called American Defense Council report, who are its real authors and whether Bernama had perpetrated the biggest hoax in Malaysian journalism. For this purpose, an all-party committee should be established to get to the bottom of the American Defense Council scandal to ascertain the real agenda behind such an episode. If the Barisan Nasional and not PAS had been the target of such a “hit” operation, the mainstream media would have gone to town with a merciless campaign of expose. Why are the mainstream media so silent now?
Thanks to Bernama, I have read the full text of the “Special Report for Foreign Policy LAs” by the so-called American Defense Council. It is a most tendentious piece but PAS must respond to the very serious allegations it made especially on the question of the compatibility of PAS’ Islamic state with democracy which concerns all Malaysians.
(11/9/2001)