Asia Times: Political talk show livens staid debates



	January 08, 1999	atimes.com

Media/Technology

Political talk show livens staid debates
By Anil Netto

PENANG - A new television talk show hasbeen creating waves in Malaysia, providing a rare outlet in themainstream media for dissenting views.

But Malaysians' reactions remain mixed: they are wonderingwhether it is indeed a breath of fresh air in the staid media, ora clever ploy to control the debate over the recent calls for wide-ranging political reforms.

The daily half-hour programmes in Malay and English, called'Dateline Malaysia', cover a range of controversial issues such asstreet demonstrations, rumour-mongering over the Internet, accessto the media for opposition groups, and problems affecting thetiny Orang Asli or indigenous community.

'Dateline Malaysia' is televised over ntv7, a new privatetelevision station, during primetime from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m.. TheMalay-language programme is aired back-to-back with the Englishversion.

Launched during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)summit in Kuala Lumpur in November, it is ''an attempt to restorepeople's confidence in the much-battered local media'', as the pro-establishment daily 'New Straits Times' put it in a review.

The show is produced by Asia News Broadcasting, which the dailydescribed as ''an outfit formed by several Malaysians tired ofgrappling with the 'narrow angle' taken by the foreign media whenit comes to news coverage in Malaysia''.

The show features a host interviewing a panel of two or threeguests and attempts to tackle head-on hitherto taboo subjects. Anadded attraction is the appearance of opposition politicians andsocial activists -- alongside ruling party politicians -- who haverarely been featured on television.

''It's one small glimmer in the darkness,'' says activist SabriZain, who appeared last week on a segment focusing on ''rumour-mongering'' over the Internet. But, like many other guests, Sabrirealises Dateline's limitations: ''It's a brave attempt, but it'shardly a free talk show."

Indeed, many viewers have complained that critics aren'tallowed to speak freely on the show.

''They are quickly cut off,'' observes Newton Fernandez, aPenang-based marketing executive, adding that debate on certainissues is restricted. ''They don't really let you speak on theseissues."

''I find it really frustrating the way the talk show hosthandles the programme,'' grumbled another irate viewer afterwatching several segments. ''If the host does not want the gueststo answer the questions by interrupting them frequently andleaving them with little time to get their points across, he mightas well not invite them in the first place."

Because of the show's rapid-fire pace, peppered withinterjections and verbal brawls between officials and critics,most viewers are under the impression that the programme is aired''live''.

''But it's actually recorded earlier and they edit quite a bitout,'' points out Sabri, who found out first-hand which areas areconsidered off-limits.

Among his views that were snipped out were those relating tothe 'reformasi' campaign, the ouster and trial of sacked deputyprime minister Anwar Ibrahim, and an inaccurate news report in anational Malay daily that claimed that women who were protestingat a recent rally were prostitutes.

Such censorship is to be expected in any of Malaysia'smainstream media. ''People shouldn't be under the illusion thatit's a completely free hard-hitting programme,'' says Sabri.

In one discussion on human rights, for instance, the hostskillfully diverted attention from Malaysia's average human rightsrecord by focusing on how discriminatory affirmative actionpolicies had helped the economically disadvantaged ethnic Malaycommunity.

''The people chairing the debate cannot go against thedirectives they have received,'' observes Fernandez, ''or theycould find themselves without a job."

Still, the verbal jousting that has escaped the censors'scissors has been riveting for Malaysian viewers.

A sample exchange on freedom of expression went thus: ''Theopposition has to earn the right to equal access to the media,''argued a ruling coalition politician.

''Why should we have to earn the right? We should be entitledto equal access,'' retorted a panelist from the main oppositionparty.

Despite the limitations in a country where public displays ofdissent are frowned up, such debate remains a positivedevelopment, says Fernandez. Agrees Sabri: ''It does provide someexposure for opposition politicians and activists."

But it is also beneficial to the government, which has beenseverely criticised for being intolerant of dissent. ''They cannow turn around and say, 'Who says there's no freedom of themedia?','' says Sabri.

Already, some analysts see it as a salvage operation, anattempt at damage control. ''In many ways, it's a public relationsexercise, especially with many Malaysians having the view that oflate the mainstream media have lost their credibility,'' saysmedia analyst Dr Mustafa Anuar.

''It does provide a space for dissenting views, but the bigquestion mark is the way the programme is handled,'' he said.

As a result, sceptics say the show leaves viewers with thefeeling that the programme was not being aired out a sinceredesire to hear alternative views. ''It seems that the producersare being pushed to provide some semblance of freedom ofexpression,'' Anuar added.

For now, though, even a semblance of free expression is anovelty for Malaysians used to a dull diet of 'wholesome' officialviews.

(Inter Press Service)