How blatant can they get?

PKR ready to act on Guan Eng. That was the headline on the front page of NST on 3rd Feb 2010. You can read the online version here. I read it during lunch time in a cofeeshop while waiting for my wantan mee. I don't normally read the NST but the copy was on my table and the big bold headline screamed at me. I took the bait. I read and believed what was reported. Ever since what has been happening with Zulkifli Nordin and the Zahrain guy, it seems believable if another PKR fella were to fired another salvo.

I was duped until I read this.

Written by Regina William, The Edge

The attempts by certain parties to bring down the Penang state government will not bear fruit, says Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.

Commenting on the scathing remarks made against his leadership by two Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) MPs namely Bayan Baru's Datuk Seri Zahrain Mohd Hashim and Nibong Tebal's Tan Tee Beng, Lim said the attempts to discredit him were also desperate attempts by Barisan Nasional (BN) to divert attention from the ongoing trial of PKR leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

"The Penang state government will not fall and they can try all they want as they are attempting to do with all Pakatan Rakyat (PR) states.

"Everything is well and fine between the Pakatan Rakyat leaders in Penang from PKR, DAP and PAS. They are with the state government all the way, in every effort that is being undertaken. It is only one or two who are 'unwell'.

"Their attempts to destabilise the state government won't material as the people know what is happening. These elements in PKR are working with some parties to divert everyone's attention from the trial.

"As PKR leaders, they should be focusing on the trial instead of hitting the PKR worse than they have ever hit out at the BN.

"It is clear that while their bodies are with the PKR, their hearts and souls are already elsewhere and not with the party," Lim said at a press conference after meeting staff of the Penang Development Corporation and its subsidiaries.

He said what was being levelled at him was nothing compared to what Anwar and his family were being put through now, once again, after 10 years, on new sodomy charges.

Saying that the allegations by Zahrain and Tan did not deserve comment, Lim said the state government would not be distracted from its main task of governing the state based on its competency, accountability and transparency (CAT) principles.

He said the attempts to discredit him were the creation of media organisations whom he accused of resorting to printing lies to bring the state government down.

He cited a frontpage media report recently which quoted PKR Secretary-General Saifuddin Nasution saying that PKR would act against him (Lim) which Saifuddin has since denied in a media statement and reiterated PKR's support for Lim and the DAP.

"Is this the standard of responsible reporting? I am beyond disgust and filled with a sense of numbness that some newspapers would resort to such acts.

"Where is your professionalism and integrity as journalists? Journalists are supposed to report facts and let the facts tell the story instead of creating facts," Lim said.

He said certain media also chose to create unrest among the people in Penang by highlighting that only Malays were being targetted during the Penang Island Municipal Council (MPPP) enforcement action, while the facts via statistics showed otherwise.

"In fact, the statistics show that Malays who faced enforcement action under this state government is fewer than during BN's rule," Lim added.

I subsequently confirmed the above after reading Saifudin's press statement

NST MUST CORRECT MISREPRESENTATION

I am shocked with the report of NST today which titled "PKR ready to refer Lim Guan Eng to Pakatan Rakyat".

I deeply regret that NST has maliciously misquoted my statement. Upon reading the news, I called the reporter to seek clarification. Subsequently he admitted over the phone that the line was not written by him and it has been inserted by the editor.

I hereby call on the NST to take immediate action to correct the misrepresentation of PKR's stance on this issue.

In my phone interview, I unequivocally said that YB Dato' Seri Zahrain is wrong to lash out at CM Lim Guan Eng. I stressed that inter-party relations and complaints should be brought up in Leadership Council of Pakatan Rakyat.

I have never said that PKR will refer Zahrin's criticism against Lim Guan Eng into the discussion of Pakatan Rakyat leadership. In fact I maintained that such move is unnecessary and inappropriate.

PKR is fully supportive of CM Lim Guan Eng and our relationship with DAP as coalition partner is strong and solid. We understand that the cooperation and unity of Pakatan Rakyat represnts a great threat to the ruling Barisan Nasional. BN has tried various divisive measures to sow suspicion between partners of Pakatan Rakyat.

I would like to reiterate that PKR's commitment to advance the agenda for democratic reforms is unshakeable. To realise this objective, it is essential to continue strengthen good relationship with DAP and PAS.

SAIFUDDIN NASUTION ISMAIL
Secretary-General

It shows how morally bankrupt this newspaper has become. Have they no shame?

One paper continues to incite racial and religious hatred. Another lied in its frontpage headline. Others may not be so blatant yet but I'm sure much of their journalistic ethics would have been already sacrificed at the altar of fear and greed set up the UMNO led government.