Call on Malaysians to express their disgust and outrage at the  90-second Barisan Nasional propaganda film camouflaged as prime-time news as it will be broadcast with greater frequency and  translated into Chinese with the approach of the Indera Kayangan by-election polling

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Media  Statement
by Lim Kit Siang

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This is why Barisan Nasional Ministers and leaders could be so blatant in their misuse of public resources and facilities because they regard public property as their private property and public funds as meant for their private dispensation.

With such a mentality which can see no distinction between public trust and private interests, it is no wonder that Barisan Nasional leaders could brazenly justify the nightly broadcast of the 90-second Barisan Nasional political propaganda camouflaged as prime-time news to convey to the Indera Kayang by-election voters that the Barisan Alternative stands for a Taliban Malaysia, with PAS as the chief proponents and Parti Keadilan Nasional as the abettors.

The Barisan Nasional government has become more and more blatant, as it is not only broadcast on TV1 and TV2 during 8 p.m. prime time news, it has been extended to TV3 8 p.m. prime time news and to the TV1 6 p.m. news as well.

I call on Malaysians to express their disgust and outrage at the  90-second Barisan Nasional propaganda film camouflaged as prime-time news as it will be broadcast with greater frequency and  translated into Chinese with the approach of the Indera Kayangan by-election polling - by jamming the television stations with their protests via phone, email and other avenues.

Nomination for the the Indera Kayangan by-election falls on Thursday and the voters of Indera Kayangan by-election should tell the Barisan Nasional candidate, Oui Ah Lan to convey a clear message to her leaders in Kuala Lumpur  that the people of Indera Kayangan want to see fair play - and that if the three television channels are to continue with the 90-second Barisan Nasional political propaganda broadcasts, it should be be on three conditions:
 

• that it be clearly identified as a political commercial and not camouflaged as prime-time news;
• that Barisan Nasional pay for the airtime like any television commercial; and
• the same facilities extended  to the Barisan Alternative and the DAP to buy airtime to broadcast political commercials on the three TV channels during prime-time news.

If the Indera Kayangan voters can strike a blow for fair play and a more level playing field for the Malaysian political arena, the people of Perlis would have done the Malaysian nation and people a great favour and service - regardless of which candidate they vote for on polling day on January 19, 2001.

 (8/1/2002)