Oleh/By : DATO' SERI DR. MAHATHIR BIN MOHAMAD
Tempat/Venue : BAYVIEW BEACH RESORT,
BATU FERINGGI, PENANG
Tarikh/Date : 17/11/97
Tajuk/Title : THE 30TH INTERNATIONAL CHINESE
NEWSPAPER CONVENTION
1. I would like to thank the organisers, Kwong Wah Yit
Poh Bhd and the Chinese-Language Press Institute for
inviting me to officiate the opening of the 30th
International Chinese Newspaper Convention here today.
Malaysia is indeed honoured to host this conference and
wish to bid a warm welcome to all the participants,
foreign and local.
2. I have been made to understand that among the
objectives of this conference are to promote the
efficiency and usage of Chinese language worldwide, to
strengthen the relationship between the Chinese media in
the world and to exchange views and promote the standard
of press freedom.
3. The subject of Chinese journalism must necessarily
take into account the role of citizens of Chinese origin
of many countries and how they relate with China. There
is of course a historical and cultural base to this
relationship that must influence their journalism. But
there is also the very real loyalties to their adopted
land they have developed and pledged which they must
obviously take into consideration in the attitudes and
conduct of their relations. This is not to say that
they have to choose but they certainly have to be
judicious in the degree of affinity and identity.
4. The Chinese language is peculiar in that although
the dialects may be totally different, the written text
can be understood by all, irrespective of whether they
are Mandarin speakers or not. This gives a distinct
advantage to the print media which the spoken words do
not have. Indeed the understanding of the written text
can extend even to the Japanese.
5. The power of the Chinese print media is thus very
great considering that there are some 1.2 billion
Chinese in China proper and 40 million more in other
countries. Chinese journalism must be able to count on
the widest readership and audience. Considering that
the media has become such a powerful force in the
affairs of man, the role it can play is almost
unlimited. And like all who are endowed with power, it
can be corrupted.
6. Malaysia is unique because despite having Malay or
Bahasa Malaysia as the national language, other non-
indigenous languages such as Chinese and Tamil are
allowed to be used freely. Thus we find today in
Malaysia a proliferation of newspapers and magazines
published in the Chinese language. Such is the freedom
of publication in Malaysia that there are more Chinese
newspapers and magazines in this country than those
published in the national language. Considering that
Malaysians of Chinese origin number less than Malays
this is really worth noting. When Malaysia was under
British rule not only were there few Chinese language
newspapers but most of the educated Chinese read English
newspapers.
7. We do not mind this proliferation of Chineses
papers as long as they are not being used to cause
instability in the country by deliberately inciting
racial and religious animosities between the various
races. So far Malaysian newspapers of whatever language
have been very responsible and have not allowed racial
and purely commercial considerations to influence their
editorial policies.
8. Press freedom, itself a subject of your discussion
at this conference, has many facets. What really is
meant by press freedom? Is it just the freedom of the
press to report and write on anything and everything
without caring for the concerns of society? Has the
press the right to merely report what is factual or can
it fabricate stories in order to create interest, to be
sensational and to attract readers and possibly fame to
the writer? Even if the report is factual, shouldn't it
take into consideration the pain and the shame that it
may cause individuals or groups? Perhaps if the
exposure would help correct a wrong, would focus on
something that needs to be exposed, there may be
justification. But what if it merely causes misery?
What of the hounding of certain personalities until they
have no privacy, no peace? What if it drives them to
suicide or to fatal accidents?
9. There is a fiction about the need to know. Of
course we have to know certain things that will affect
us. But most things which happen affect us not at all.
But an interest in a scandal, a possible scandal
titillates us. Do we have to cater to this? Yes, if we
think we can make money from it. Here the journalist
will have to decide whether he should depend on scandals
in order to make a living.
10. Then there is pornography. We know that people are
titillated by pornographic material. Again it takes a
certain kind of journalist who would rely upon such base
feelings in order to make a living. Some Governments,
in the name of freedom, permit pornography to be freely
published and circulated. But we know that such
societies are very prone to certain kinds of crimes and
behaviour. Some will say that such behaviour is
harmless. Others disagree. The role of the journalists
is a matter for them to decide in a society that is
ultra-liberal.
11. We need freedom of the press because we think it is
good for us. Suppressing the truth must surely be bad
for human society. But the freedom of one group in
society should not deprive other members of society from
their freedom. Unfortunately freedom of the press often
deny the rights of non-journalists, particularly the
subject of journalistic reports from the freedom to
state his case, to defend himself. By any measure this
is an injustice for society believes that everyone
should be given a hearing, everyone should have his side
of the story heard.
12. In Malaysia licences are required in order to
publish a newspaper or magazine. To the liberals this
is a denial of press freedom. We will not apologise for
this minimal form of ensuring that the press is
responsible and does not abuse the freedom by inciting
racial intolerance and violence. Malaysia is a multi-
racial society and we have had race riots before
resulting in people being killed. While we cherish
press freedom, we cherish our peace and stability and
the lives of our people more. This and pornography
apart, our press is free. Certainly many of the
publications in Malaysia criticise and attack the
Government continuously. Perhaps there is justification
but quite often there are no basis for these criticisms.
But the Government has not withdrawn any licence for so
long as race sensitive issues are not played up or
pornography exploited.
13. Certain Western papers automatically append "where
the press is controlled" when mentioning Malaysia. The
fact that a number of these papers are actually printed
in Malaysia and have never been censored by the
Government does not seem to be of any significance to
these papers. It is sad that these papers seem
incapable of being truthful.
14. There is no such thing as absolute freedom. All
freedoms are limited. This is because the exercise of
unlimited freedom on the part of one will deprive or
negate the freedom of another or indeed of the whole
community. Elected Governments have a duty to protect
everyone from everyone else. If there seems to be a
restriction on anyone's freedom in this country, it is
because we are ensuring the freedom of other people. If
the exercise of anyone's freedom does not deprive
someone else or the community of their freedom then
there will be no restriction to the exercise of that
freedom. Countries which claim they have unrestricted
freedom are either irresponsible or are just not telling
the whole truth.
15. They cannot be telling the whole truth because we
know that what they report about us is far from being
the truth. Frequently they don't report at all things
that they don't like the world to know and things that
they disagree with. They will not hesitate to play up
any negative issue that they find about our country, our
people or personalities in this country but if there is
anything good that happens they would ignore it
entirely. Thus they would report about alleged
excessive logging in the Malaysian forest, but the fact
that Malaysia has maintained 50 percent of its land
surface covered by the original forest and 20 percent
more by tree plantations has never been reported even
when we point this out. Yet we know that in their
countries they do clear felling of forests and there are
hardly any of the original forests left, having been
cleared for farm and human habitation.
16. We have to assume that if their report about us is
wrong, inaccurate and biased then their reports about
other countries are also wrong, inaccurate and biased.
In the case of developing countries it is biased against
and in the case of their own developed countries it is
biased in favour. In any case their reports cannot be
trusted to form a basis for our opinion of things.
17. The world needs news reports which are accurate and
factual. The media is in a very privileged position to
do this. In so doing they would be contributing to the
good relations between peoples and countries and to the
progress of the world. It is a pity that sensationalism
and the bottom line have lead to distortions and
inaccuracies and so deprive the world of a very
important instrument for the general good of the world.
18. The Chinese language Press like other media
instruments are in a good position to serve the world by
accurate and unbiased reporting. For many people of
Chinese origin who are citizens of other countries, good
reporting will help give them a balanced view of the
world and of their own situation. It will help their
welfare too.
19. It is my sincere hope that this 30th Convention
will not just strengthen the relationship between the
Chinese media in the world, but would also and more
importantly enhance the role of the Chinese media
throughout the world in contributing towards the benefit
of mankind, regardless of race, creed and colour,
language or ideology. Freedom, including press freedom
is a precious thing, and we must use it well and for the
good of all.
20. On this note it is with great pleasure that I
declare open this 30th International Chinese Newspaper
Convention.