Interestingly, while Anwar and  his supporters have all questioned  the fairness of the local media, the  other side has hit out at the foreign  media for their sensational reporting and for
jumping to conclusions  and inaccurate
assessments.

Objectivity, unfortunately, has  become a
thin line. It depends on  which side you
are on as sentiments become more polarised. For 
some, fair reporting means whether these stories are favourable to  them.

It also depends on their political 
orientation. On one hand, those who 
are anti-establishment say the police over-reacted when dealing  with the protestors.

On the other, the conservatives  think
the protestors have organised  far too
many illegal gatherings and  criticise
the police for being too  slow in
enforcing the law.

According to their arguments,  those who
talk about upholding the  principles of
the law are not qualified to talk about it if they break  the law.

Then, there are those who are angry at commentaries they do not  agree with.

They include those who preach  the
freedom of expression but  seem to put
aside such a liberal  stance when it does
not suit them.

It's toughest on the political writers, including foreign ones  they 
risk losing their contacts, friendships and, in some cases, even
their  jobs, should they offend
certain  powerful figures.

Political writers, who don't aspire to be spin doctors, will tell  their listeners that many things are  not what they seem on the surface.

Rightly or wrongly, to this cynical lot, politics is about power and  patronage. To them, what politicians preach
is mere sales talk.

Some even liken politics to selling hopes and nothing more than  that. There is no guarantee it will  be delivered.

It's a difficult job because the political writer needs to have a wide  grasp of political, social and economic
events, past and present, and  strong
contacts with politicians and  analysts
to allow him to draw the  distinction
between facts and half truths.

More than that, he has to be careful of the danger of being swayed  by over-friendly politicians and being used.
There is also this constant  vigil
against being naive  the  worst sin of all, says a veteran political
writer.

There is a certain resentment by  members
of the local media against  their foreign
counterparts because  they believe that
the foreigners,  who have just arrived,
may not understand the twists and turns of local politics.

To justify their stay here, some  foreign
reporters have resorted to  highly
dramatic reporting.

After all, Malaysia is unlikely to  be a
top news item unless the story  is
attention grabbing enough.

As a political battle is being  fought, a
responsible media will  have to reduce
the drama, check  out the facts, cut out
mere allegations and spot exaggerations.

This sober approach that takes  into
account the laws of libel and  slander,
however, can result in reports which are often 
scorned at  for being too overly
cautious or  docile.

Any experienced reporter will  know that
when one covers a riot,  you stand behind
the police line.

For greater drama in their stories, some may decide to join the  demonstrators, running the risk of  getting hit by tear gas.

Perhaps that's what they hope for 
because then they can say they suffered for their craft and are able
to  write a gripping reporting-from
the-scene-of-mayhem-and-mace account, like that “eye-witness'' report in
Singapore's New Paper. It  must all seem
very heroic.

In a similar vein, the foreign media glamorised the Indonesian uprising,
describing the mob as “the 
dispossessed''. To the victims 
though, the mob was made up of 
looters, rapists and thieves.

They also described the Tiannamen Square incident as a massacre.  But to many people, including  those in China, it was necessary action taken
by the government to  stop the unrest in
the interest of  the majority of the one
billion people.

Russia's former president Mikhail Gorbachev was a hero to the  West but a pariah at home. He  brought democracy to Russia but  turned it into a beggar state.

What the “truth'' is depends on  which
side you are on and what you  choose to
believe.

For the foreign media, events are  looked
at from their perspective.  What is right
to them may not necessarily be right to us.

Therein lies the challenge to and 
concern of real journalists, whatever their origin  balancing things  out for their readers and viewers.

The task gets more difficult as 
political temperatures rise but, as 
they say, somebody has to do it.

The world's most powerful man,  we now realise, does not seem to  care that cigars are for blowing  and nothing else.

The blow-by-blow account in independent counsel Kenneth Starr's  report on Clinton's sexual encounters has, no
doubt, dealt a deadly  blow to Clinton's
future.

That aside, his sexual encounters  with
intern Monica Lewinsky described in graphic detail in the report for the world
to see, put all  parents and serious
newspapers  around the world in
trouble.

Malaysian newspapers, for example, have had to, well, skirt  around the issue. Serious newspapers are,
after all, for the family.  All the gory
details won't be appropriate for any newspaper in education (NIE)
programme.

So the only decent thing to do is  to leave
out those naughty bits.  That's certainly
fine with most  parents. All the
skirt-chasing and  voyeurism would just
have to be  read on the Internet.

But that leads to another problem. You think your kids are surfing the
Internet, trying to earn a  college
degree online, but they are  actually
looking up the 400 pages  of Clinton's
bizarre sexual acts  which certainly make
more interesting reading.

You are a liberal parent and you  think
that explaining safe sex to  your pimply
teenage kid is the best  thing. But hey,
the footnote in  Starr's report says
Clinton had  hundreds of sexual affairs
in the  early years of his
marriage.

And before you can even explain  the
consequences of full-blown  HIV cases,
your kid will be interrupting you to ask `what is a blow  job.'

Next, you will be asked how Clinton could manage to talk on the  telephone to members of the Congress when you
would think his attention would be otherwise engaged.

Now, you know why you are  struggling
with your job while  Clinton still has
the Americans insisting he shouldn't be sacked despite his sexual sins.

Like any sex scandal in any part  of the
world, blowing to pieces  what has been
built politically over  the years, leads
to a certain degree  of disbelief among
the voters.

What we know about people in  high places
are the visual images  that come to our
living rooms  through the television and
in the  newspapers.

And we all tend to equate high  politics
with high standards because politicians all over the world  preach morality. They tell us that  whatever they do is for the people,  justice and good governance.

The followers sometimes get  carried
away, forgetting that politicians are also human beings.  Strip away the trappings of power  and the larger-than-life image created by the
spin doctors, and they  are just normal
people.

There's always a dark side which  we
sometimes do not know. When  the
character flaws are  exposed,  there's the initial shock.

Starr's report looks like an improbable script with unconvincing  acting. It looks more like a sexual  farce rather than a political tragedy.

But take away the lurid details,  it's
simply a case of a politician  who has a
history of lying and getting away with it.

It's not a case of adultery or a  man who
cannot control his appetites but about perjury and obstruction of law. He has
denied  sexual harassment under
oath.

Clinton has, of course, said it's a 
right-wing conspiracy. His lawyers have used a string of legal  jargon to get him out.

But like someone who is armed  with a
blow-gun, Starr has finally  hit his
target.

Like other politicians, Clinton  has his
followers and admirers. As  more details
are released, Clinton  has found himself
cornered.

His followers, who had dedicated  their
lives to him, now feel betrayed. Clinton was a man who  could do no wrong, as far as they  were concerned.

This was, of course, the very  man who
said he did not “inhale''  but merely
“blew'' it, when asked  if he had smoked
grass in college.

Now, his lawyers are saying he  did not
lie, in the legal sense. Of  course, he
did not have any sexual  relations, if
you were to trust him.

The political weather at the  White House
certainly looks dark  and windy now. The
Clinton expose  comes just two years
after Dick  Morris, Clinton's image
consultant,  was dismissed because of his
affair with a prostitute, like something from the movie, Mars Attack.

Blown out of proportion by the  media,
Clinton has been reduced to  a sexually
compulsive liar who is  now begging for
forgiveness.

Like the presidency, the once 
prestigious appointment of an internship to the White House has  now become a huge, salacious joke.

American parents may not be so  keen for
their kids to work in the  White House
anymore, what with  all the worrying they
have to do.  After all, other middle-aged
officials may be equally menacing.

Herein, lies a lesson for parents  from
the baby-boomers period.  Many
politicians, who grew up in  colleges
protesting against the establishment and singing Bob Dylan's Blowing in the Wind,
may not  necessarily hold the same
views  now.

It's like the wind that blows the 
lallang. For some politicians, their 
stand can swing from side to side, 
depending on the circumstances.

For these politicians, the lesson  is:
Don't blow your own trumpet  too much or
the fall from grace  can be very hard
indeed.

The schoolboy had experienced  probably the most spectacular  opening of the Commonwealth  Games, bringing back some of its  lost shine.

Malaysians who caught the dazzling opening on TV were joined  across the globe by a record 800  million viewers.

It was a grand moment for all  Malaysians
to cherish.

And the timing could not have  been
better, coming just weeks after the country's 41st National Day  celebrations.

The pride of Malaysians was  clear as
they sang the national anthem loudly, a habit which we  should all cultivate.

The stadium roared when the  Malaysian
team, in their smart  baju Melayu and
songkok, marched  into the stadium.
Inappropriate as  it may seem, the crowd
of mostly  young Malaysians could not
help  but hiss at the Singapore
team.

Malaysians are unlikely to forget  the
cultural dance performance involving 2,000 schoolchildren and  dancers dressed up as bees, flowers, birds
and leaves, depicting Malaysia's rich floral and fauna heritage.

The organisers did the right  thing by
depending on an all-Malaysian cast for the opening show.

Ella, Sheila Majid, Ziana Zain and  Amy
Mastura proved to be world class acts.

It would have been disastrous to  have
the Spice Girls, Celine Dion  and Rod
Stewart for the opening, as  rumoured
earlier.

To insist that the Spice Girls cover themselves up would have made  them lose their spice and for Celine  Dion to sing the Titanic theme song  for an auspicious occasion would  have been out of place. No one  needs that sinking feeling on opening
night.

Rod Stewart, the aging former 
grave-digger, would have been a 
clear misfit.

The opening showcased Malaysian talents to the world. Standing  In The Eyes Of The World, that  catchy Commonwealth song by Malaysian rock
queen Ella, could have  been performed in
the main segment. The song was rendered in the pre-opening which ended at  7.30pm.

Malaysians can hold their heads  high.
The opening went without  hitches. The
execution was precise  and
brilliant.

Kuala Lumpur has proven the  critics
wrong. The athletes arrived  and found no
haze. The humid Malaysian weather has been tolerable.

The political drama, unfolded  days
before the opening, has  turned out to be
a side show, fast  losing steam.

For a while, there was fear that  the
sacking of Datuk Seri Anwar  Ibrahim
would lead to some disorder.

Still, the media critics looked for 
faults. The Singapore-based CNBC 
television network claimed that the 
sports facilities would become 
“white elephants'' after the Games.

The same reporter ridiculed the  city's
transport system and the differences of the sponsors over marketing
rights.

In a nutshell, CNBC was trying to  imply
that Malaysians are incapable of hosting a world-class event.

But that does not seem to stop  CNBC from
accepting the high budget advertisements of Tourism  Malaysia.

Perhaps it's time we consider  pulling
out our advertisements  from unfriendly
news organisations. They must learn that they 
should not bite the hand that feeds 
them.

In all fairness, not all foreign media has been biased against Malaysia.
Certain Canadian newspapers  covering the
KL Games have reported the event objectively and  have given the thumbs up for the  facilities and organisation.

Malaysians should ignore minor 
irritations for now. We shouldn't let 
them spoil our fun.

The Unity Towards Progress  theme was
apt, reflecting the richness and diversity of the Commonwealth family, and the
cultural performances of the different races 
symbolised the strength of the host 
nation.

Malaysia Boleh! has been shown  in word
and deed. To Datuk Seri Dr  Mahathir
Mohamad and all Malaysians involved in the Games, it's a  well-deserved syabas!

Just a year back, Anwar was regarded as the Prime
Minister's heir  apparent. He was a man
who could  do no wrong. But over the past
one  month, it became clear that he
had  found himself on the wrong
footing.

The unprecedented sequence of  events
last week  which saw the  sacking of Anwar as Deputy Prime  Minister, Finance Minister and  then as an Umno member  has 
stunned the general population.

Equally astounding were the details in four affidavits filed in the  High Court implicating Anwar in  sexual misconduct and of being a  threat to national security.

The allegations of sexual misconduct include 15 counts of sodomising an unnamed
man, illicit sex  with a number of women,
and trying to seduce the wife of a businessman on a working trip to
Washington.

Several of the alleged sexual  trysts
took place at an apartment in  Tivoli
Villa in affluent Bangsar.

The affidavits were tendered to  support
the detention of Magnum  Corporation
Berhad public affairs  director Datuk S.
Nallakaruppan at  Bukit Aman.

Malaysians can be forgiven for  being in
shock because the events  that have
unfolded have been dramatic and the information they received has been equally
incredible.

Last Wednesday, even as Anwar  walked
into the Prime Minister's  office to
attend the weekly Cabinet  meeting, there
was already talk  that his career had
come to an end.

When the Cabinet meeting ended  at 11am,
Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir  Mohamad and Anwar
walked off together in conversation. It was to be  Anwar's last Cabinet meeting.

Despite repeated denials of a rift 
between the two men, Anwar's fall 
from grace became apparent over 
the past two months.

The events leading to Anwar being stripped of his powers are now  academic.

What is clear is that Dr Mahathir  has
obtained the support of all state  Umno
liaison chiefs for the decision.

The next question would be who  would
fill the two ministerial positions left vacant and whether there  is a need for a Cabinet reshuffle.

Under the Federal Constitution,  there is
no requirement for a Deputy Prime Minister.

Dr Mahathir himself has said it  was likely
that he would not appoint a new Deputy Prime Minister  but he needed a Finance Minister.

Saying he would be Acting Finance Minister, Dr Mahathir added  that he hoped to find somebody  willing.

Several names have been mentioned, but a strong possibility is  Tun Daim Zainuddin, now Special  Functions Minister.

It might be burdensome for  Daim, who
also heads the National  Economic Action
Council, to take a  third job, but no one
can dispute his  capabilities and
experience.

Over recent months, Daim has  been
involved in many economic  considerations
affecting the country and in recovery efforts.

The need to fill the post is naturally urgent as Parliament will  meet next month to discuss the  Budget.

Also of concern is the impact of  Anwar's
sacking on party unity. A  period of
healing is needed at this  point.

Talk of a general election seems  remote
at this juncture, with more  pressing
matters at hand, but others have still not dismissed the possibility of snap
elections.

Dr Mahathir has correctly pointed out that in many countries, ministers are
sacked every now and  then.

As recent as last month, New  Zealand
Prime Minister Jenny  Shipley fired her
deputy, Winston  Peters, who also held
the Treasurer's post.

President Boris Yeltsin went further. He sacked Prime Minister  Sergei Kiriyenko as well as the rest  of the government.

The shock over Anwar's removal  from
power can be attributed to the  former
student leader's personality  and rise in
the hierarchy.

Although there had been rumours of his downfall, Malaysians  were confused by persistent denials from
party leaders, including  Anwar himself
who later explained  that until the last
minute, he was  hoping for some kind of a
reconciliation.

It remains to be seen what kind  of
action will follow but the coming  days
appear crucial.

The nation has watched the expression of support for Dr Mahathir and the
unhappiness of supporters of Anwar.

There has been some degree of 
uneasiness. Malaysians hope that 
the situation will cool down, and 
the constant reminders by Umno 
leaders to members to remain calm 
has been reassuring.

There is a need to ensure that the 
government machinery does not 
come to a halt with the political developments in the country as we  brace ourselves to tackle the economic
uncertainties.

Last week, the media pressed  Anwar for his reaction on talk of  his impending resignation.

That prompted a smiling Anwar  to ask :
“I cannot understand why  people keep on
talking about my  resignation.''

This is not the first time the deputy Umno president has had to answer such
queries.

The press has also asked Anwar  questions
about his purported differences with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir
Mohamad.

On Aug 7, he laughed off a similar question: “These rumours  (have been) going on for some  time. I don't know whether this is  good news or disappointing, but  there is no basis (for them).''

The foreign media and the rumour-mongers, however, have not  left him alone despite his recent  renewed pledge of support for Dr  Mahathir in Penang.

For the first time, in fact, he announced the state's entire 11 Umno  divisions' endorsement for Dr Mahathir to
remain in the party presidency in next year's party polls.

The talk of Anwar's impending 
resignation could have surfaced 
following reports in the latest editions of Asiaweek and Time
magazines.

Under the heading “Fading From  the
Picture?'', Asiaweek drew on  the
differences between the country's top two leaders and Anwar's  supposedly declining influences.

The report also claimed that Anwar was no longer the unquestioned
heir-apparent.

The US-based Time, on other  hand,
reported that “Anwar is being forced to toe the line  or risk 
a dangerous showdown with his 
boss''.

Under the heading “Heir Unapparent'', the Far Eastern Economic  Review also ran a similar story on  the political future of Anwar.

At the same time, there are on going court cases relating to the  book 50 Reasons Why Anwar Cannot Be Prime
Minister.

These magazines, which enjoy a 
reasonably big circulation in Malaysia, have naturally created an  interest on the subject.

Most of these stories have plenty  of
backgrounder but little substance.

This could be attributed to the 
magazines' eagerness to come out 
with the story fast.  Competition
is,  after all, the name of the
game.

The trouble, however, is that  when one
is speculative, it means  one is
unsure.

Sometimes, it is best to wait for 
something more substantial and 
definite.   In journalism, one
must  be responsible.

Press freedom does not mean  one can
print stories based on  hearsay and adopt
the print-and be-dammed approach.

No journalist worth his salt  would,
however, dismiss anything  political.
Politics is, after all, the  art of the
possible.

What is ironic is that these were  the
same magazines which put Anwar on the pedestal but which now  seem as quick to write him off.

The attention on Malaysian politics by foreigners is the result of  the country's strong leadership.

Unlike Indonesia, Japan, South  Korea and
Thailand, the question  of a change in
the country's leadership is unthinkable.

Support for Dr Mahathir has  been strong,
judging from the reaction of his current nationwide  tours.

Cynics who dismiss these large  turnouts
as merely party loyalists  and government
servants should  have attended the
Bangsar carnival two weeks ago.

It was not the size of the crowd  that
was impressive but the spontaneous cheering for Dr Mahathir  at the constituency, an affluent  area known to often question those  in authority.

The hype over the question of  Umno
succession could also be because the Umno election would be  held next year. Thus, the intense  interest in the future of our top  leaders.

As in any democracies, elections  mean
contests. In the run-up, political manoeuvrings and under-currents can be
expected.

There is also speculation that the 
general election is imminent although the Barisan Nasional's  mandate only ends in April 2000.

Most Barisan component parties  have
directed their members to  get ready for
the elections.

With the dissolution of the Sabah 
legislative assembly in March, 
many believe that the general election may be held simultaneously  with the Sabah state elections.

Public figures have little private  life.
Dr Mahathir and Anwar can  expect
themselves to continue to  be subjected
to public speculation.

Every single sentence they utter  and
movement they make will be  interpreted
in a thousand ways, according to the motives of the speculator.

And in this country, there are  plenty of
unnamed political analysts.  Regional
magazines ofen  quote many such Hong
Kong-based  experts who dare to comment
on  Malaysian affairs with a
straight  face.

It doesn't matter if they don't  know
where  Cherok To'kun or Kubang Pasu
are.  All that they say is  often considered sound views fit  for printing.

The argument is that Barisan Nasional wants to seek a
fresh mandate before it rides through the 
mounting uncertainties clouding 
the economy and the region.

The political strategy, the reasoning goes, is to get through the  polls before the country enters its  roughest economic period in 13  years.

The Prime Minister, who is on a 
nationwide tour to explain the economic crisis to the people, has  asked foreigners not to read too  much into the visits.

Last week, Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad said the visits  were to explain the current problems to the
people directly.

Some people, he said, thought  that they
were not affected by the  economic
slowdown, including  those who were in
the rubber, oil  palm and cocoa
industries.

He said this was because the  prices of
the export crops had increased because of the depreciation of the
ringgit.

The visits have been dubbed Semarak II by political observers, in  reference to the mammoth gatherings a decade
ago.

The last elections were held in  April
1995 when the Barisan scored  a landslide
victory.

Two weeks ago, MCA president  Datuk Seri
Dr Ling Liong Sik met  the party's 104
elected representatives to brief them on preparations  for the general election.

Sending political temperatures  rising,
the party's MPs and assemblymen were ordered to set up  their election operations centres at  state level.

According to party sources, division leaders have been asked to oil  their campaign machinery.

The statements of Barisan secretary-general Datuk Mohamed Rahmat and Umno
secretary-general  Datuk Sabbaruddin Chik
on gearing up for the polls have added 
weight to such speculation.

Mohamed had urged the coalition  to
resolve all internal problems, especially divisive issues, to build  unity ahead of the next election.

In Kelantan, both the Barisan and  PAS
have held mock election campaigns to test their machinery.

In the case of politically-charged 
Sabah, the Barisan has held at least 
two dry runs.

Sabah must hold their elections  by
February next year  fuelling  talk that simultaneous state and  general elections would be held by  next year.

There are several factors that  one must
take into account when  speculating on
the polls.

Kuala Lumpur will host the Commonwealth Games next month, followed by the
tabling of the 1999  Budget in October,
when the Dewan Rakyat will meet until December.

The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit will take  place in November, which will see  one of the largest gatherings of  world leaders.

Besides security considerations,  such a
meeting requires the support staff from all ministries and  agencies 
which would make it  almost
impossible for polls to be  held around
that time.

All the ministers, many of whom  are
component party leaders,  would also be
involved one way or  another in the
summit.

The year-end possibility seems  remote if
we take into account all  these important
events.

There is also another argument  that an
early general election will  be held to
ensure that Umno politicians channel their energy towards  Barisan instead of party elections.

As in the past, campaigning for  party
posts has been conducted at  buka puasa
functions, leading to a  ban on such
practices.

The trend has always been to  hold the
general election first before the party polls to ensure its  strength.

For many, the pledge of support  for Dr
Mahathir by his deputy Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in Penang  is significant.

While he has repeatedly made  such
declarations, it was the first  time he
committed the state's 11  Umno divisions
to endorse Dr Mahathir for presidency.

Anwar's support should end  speculation
in the foreign press  about the
differences between the  two
leaders.

One foreign report even said that 
Barisan has boosted its electoral 
chances following the bitter railway dispute with Singapore.

The logic or lack of it from the  report
is that widespread patriotism generated from the dispute  would translate into votes.

As with many of these foreign  reports,
these journalists often  choose to
interview European diplomats for their observations.

It is strange that these journalists have never bothered to get the  reaction of Asian diplomats. After  all, they, too, watch the political
developments in Malaysia closely.

But political analysts can be sure  of
one thing  polls in Sabah will  have to be held by early next year.

Keen contests, many believe, are  expected
in many areas in the Sabah polls. The question now is  whether Barisan wants to hold the  Sabah polls first where competition  is tough or to hold both elections  together.

And as Mohamed told the nine  Sabah
Barisan parties last week:  Get ready for
state elections as if it  will be held
tomorrow. That's a  strong hint.

Last week, newspaper offices  were bombarded with telephone  calls from concerned members of  the public who wanted to know  whether there was any truth to talk  of impending riots.

The impact of the rumours was  so bad
that it prompted a colleague  in London
to call the office to  check.

By Friday afternoon, the rumours had grown to monstrous proportions: A riot
involving Indonesians had broken out in Chow Kit.

The source of such loose talk was  a chat
group of some Internet subscribers. A printout of the cyber  conversation was made and faxed  all over the place with total disregard for
the consequences.

The people involved in the chat  group
had obviously failed to realise that such Internet discussions  are followed widely.

The one big flaw in such Internet 
postings is that much of the information in cyberspace need not be  the truth and that senders take no  responsibility for what they write.

The same applies to the messages in soc.culture.malaysia and  sang kancil where many writers  express their views with no respect  for the facts.

Many of these supposedly educated Internet subscribers sometimes show scant
sensitivity for the  feelings of
others.

Slander and libel do not make a  person
courageous, neither is it  freedom of
expression.

On the same day, the capital was  abuzz
with rumours that Datuk Seri  Anwar
Ibrahim had resigned.

As the Deputy Prime Minister  pointed out
later in the day, there  was no basis to
rumours about his  imminent resignation
as Finance  Minister.

The rumours could have gained  credence
because on the same day  a regional
business daily had run a  front-page
story on the purported  differences
between Anwar and  Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir
Mohamad.

The timing was most unfortunate, however.

These rumour-mongers, whether  they
realise it or not, do cause deleterious effects on the ringgit and  the stock market.

The talk that Anwar had scheduled a press conference at 4pm that  day was exploited by these irresponsible
elements to spread the  rumour that he
was announcing his  resignation.

Although the local media repeatedly told stock market dealers that  the press conference was on financial
matters, many chose to be  sceptical
because of its timing   near the market's
closing time.

It would help if the media offices  of
the various ministries state the  purpose
of their press conferences.

Knowing well the dicey position  of the
country's financial market, it  makes
sense to be clear about our 
intentions.

The police have rightly warned  rumour-mongers
that they will be  arrested if found
responsible.

The authorities and the media  should
refute rumours which appear on the Internet, and Internet users must be
prepared to face the  consequences if
they are irresponsible.

And Malaysians should learn to  be less
gullible. Sometimes, we  tend to believe
what we want to  believe.

Some of those who called The  Star would
not believe there was no  trouble. One
caller accused the media of covering up. Another said  that since nothing had been reported on TV,
there must be some truth  in what he had
heard.

Many of us choose to believe regular writers on the Internet. Even  when some of them have got their  facts wrong, their credibility in cyberspace
has amazingly not been  affected.

Like electronic viruses waiting to 
infect the personal computers of 
unwary users, half-truths and lies 
bide their time in cyberspace before pouncing on some gullible  surfer.

Because the local media is more 
responsible, it is perceived by 
some as docile and government controlled. As a result, it has suffered a
dent in its image among  those who hold
to the print-and-be damned approach as press freedom.

So, those hungry for dirt turn to  the
Internet which is uncensored  and
immediate.

The confusion over the recent rumours should make us all sit up and  think. We want unimpeded access  to everything because we insist  that we are mature enough.

But if we forget ourselves and  join the
herd, we would only rush  headlong to
self-destruction.

Let us not take for granted our  strong,
political leadership and our  tolerant
multi-racial society   more so in these
uncertain economic times.

The roller-coaster ride has just  begun.
More than ever, Malaysians  ought to
stick together and back  the Government
to overcome the  rough patches
ahead.

It came as no surprise that a proposal by Sarawak DAP
leader Sim  Kwang Yang to hold
roundtable  talks did not receive much
enthusiasm.

Sim had appealed to leaders of  the
fractious opposition party to  observe a
five-day ceasefire, saying emotions must cool down to discuss
reconciliation.

A peaceful end to the problem affecting the party was necessary to  face the general election with a  united front, he said.

The former Bandar Kuching MP  has good
reason to be worried. The  DAP has made
it into the front  pages of newspapers
for the wrong  reasons.

The ruckus in the party has been  a case
of durian runtuh or windfall  for the
party's political nemesis.

Durian-eating, as most Malaysians will testify, is more than just  a ritual. It's a passion.

There's no colour discrimination  
whether white or yellow, all is 
accepted. The rules are simple and 
the event certainly sounds better 
than any table talk.

Over the years, the Dewan Rakyat has made it a practice to hold  durian parties for Members of
Parliament.

Unlike other countries, where so called honourable members throw  punches at each other, our politicians are a
more mature lot.

During such durian parties, it is  common
to see government backbenchers and opposition MPs nodding in agreement and
putting their  fingers into the right
places.

The Malaysian press, which has  come
under fire from Opposition  Leader Lim
Kit Siang, would like to  see him and
self-declared independent MP Liew Ah Kim sitting together savouring a D24
durian.

Singaporean politicians should  perhaps
join in at durian parties.

They used to travel to Johor to  meet
their Malaysian counterparts  for such
informal functions. No  longer, it
seems.

They shouldn't put on airs. A durian feast where the air is thick  with the fruit's pungent smell will  certainly take that away.

Malaysian ports and the KL International Airport may not be attractive enough
for Singapore's  leaders but our durians
are a sure  magnet. As for the KTM land
controversy in Singapore, a durian  feast
could put things back on  track.

Foreign Ministry senior officials  from
both sides should seriously  consider
this diplomatic mechanism of negotiation.

There shouldn't be any udang di  sebalik
batu (suspicion) if the only  common
interest is the “red  prawn'' durian variety.

Last week, Deputy Transport  Minister
Datuk Wira Ali Rustam  threw a durian
party for the press,  the first for the
press this year  since the start of the
durian season.

Another durian king must be Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk
Seri Megat  Junid Megat Ayob who has
hosted  such gatherings for years.

It will be good if mat sallehs of  the
foreign media here are invited  to such
Malaysian get-togethers.  Beside having a
chance to get to  know local politicians
and reporters better, they may learn to really 
appreciate the country.

Sometimes, a sticky affair can be 
positive, just ask those who have 
been to durian parties.

The fact that the King of Fruits is  only
available in this region makes  it even
more unique. Those Asean  diplomats,
meeting in Manila now,  who cannot agree
on the question  of intervention should
immediately  hold a durian feast.

A durian party makes a lot of  sense. It
doesn't matter if it leaves  a bitter
taste. It's acceptable, even  welcomed,
as durian enthusiasts  will tell
you.

It may even help prick one's conscience.

The tabloid, known for its sensationalism, had used this
headline in reference to Culture, Arts and Tourism Minister Datuk Sabbaruddin
Chik.

“Malaysian minister unrepentent even after Singapore points out fact,'' the
sub-head elaborated.

The newspaper had carried a full-page story on Sabbaruddin's statement that the
peninsula had been left out from the tour list for Rotary Club members.

Malaysians have reason to cry foul over the treatment of Malaysian news by the
Singapore media of late.

For reasons best known only to the government-controlled Singapore media,
reports on Malaysia have been consistently negative.

It's hard to dismiss these slants as isolated cases, let alone good
journalism.

Despite the open expressions of unhappiness by Malaysian leaders, the Singapore
media has chosen to continue its negative approach.

It's not that Malaysians are paranoid or sensitive. Neither is it because
Malaysian leaders have urged the local media to respond.

After all, it's the Malaysian media which has pointed out such negative reports
in the first place.

On Friday, the republic's Straits Times carried an article with the headline
“Media braces itself for KL's crackdown.''

The news item was about the resignation of Utusan Malaysia's editor-in-chief
Datuk Johan Jaaffar.

Admittedly, Johan's resignation has created a stir but it is certainly
preposterous to imagine Special Branch officers walking into editorial offices
demanding editors to step down.

In press jargon, the news item should best be spiked. The news item, filed by a
foreign news agency, had carried a statement from the New York-based Committee
to Protect Journalists.

The group had expressed fear that the resignation of Johan “after conflicts
with the Malaysian leadership may herald a press crackdown.''

There is, of course, no likelihood of such a crackdown. Editors, like all
employees, come and go.

Malaysian journalists, criticised for being docile, have suddenly become
critical and offensive overnight. Which is which?

We should also not ignore other aspects, besides journalism, in analysing the
resignation.

On the same day, the Singapore newspaper ran a story on the Commonwealth Games
titled “Computer woes top list 
Pre-games trials expose problems.''

Again, rather than rely on its KL-based correspondents, who should know the
situation better, the paper used a news agency report.

Such reports are a sequel to the numerous negative reporting since the opening
of the KL International Airport last month.

The Straits Times carried a full-page report on an e-mail sent by a reader
mocking the KLIA and drawing comparisons with Changi airport.

The reader, which sent a critical hour-by-hour observation of KLIA, ran down
Malaysia Airlines but praised the SIA counter.

We cannot deny that the opening of the airport had its share of flaws,
particularly the computer glitches, but let's not use the sledgehammer
treatment.

Malaysians, in particular, ought to realise that if they go overboard in their
criticism, we will end up becoming the biggest losers in the long-run.

Granted the stiff competition in the region, especially with Changi airport.
But let's not shoot ourselves in the foot, for it will be very difficult to
repair the damage.

Now that the KLIA is functioning well, the Singapore and other foreign media
which took delight in running it down should send their reporters to check if
they practise the principles of fair reporting.

Malaysians who have questioned the authorities over the foul-up on the first
day of KLIA's operations should also question why the foreign media has been
peculiarly silent now.

Or does it take a few rats scurrying around the KLIA for Malaysia to make it
into the pages of the foreign media?

We can expect more negative reporting from Singapore. One issue likely to crop
up will be the use of facilities at the Singapore port as Malaysia draws up
legislation to make it compulsory for cargo handlers to use the services of
local ports, particularly Port Klang.

A lot of money is involved. Over RM164bil worth of goods were sent by Malaysian
exporters through Singapore.

Not surprisingly, stories on Port Klang have been given prominence, including a
July 14 report headlined “Take back what's been stolen: Use Port
Klang.''

Interestingly, the Malaysian media chose to play down the report of two
students who contracted malaria at a Singapore resort. More than 185 cases of
malaria have been identified this year.

This is in contrast to the near-hysteria treatment by the Singapore media over
a bus accident at a hill resort in Malaysia a few years back.

There is only one way for Sabbaruddin Chik to handle such adverse reports  turn the other cheek on them.

The price of diamonds, according  to the poll, has dropped more than  half 
in places like New Delhi and 
Kuala Lumpur.

In Tokyo, the price of an 18-carat  gold
wedding band has fallen by  more than
77%.

That's not all. The cost of a wedding dress, tuxedo and limousine  rental, wedding cake and honeymoon suite at a
five-star hotel have  all plunged.

The poll may not be that accurate  since
it is measured against the 
greenback.

Most Asians have less money to  spend
these days because whatever  they have
saved is worth less.

Still, there is no doubt that the 
wedding package industry has become more competitive  which is 
good news for singles who believe 
in the institution of marriage.

But in Asia, the Year of the Tiger  isn't
exactly an auspicious time to  get
hitched. With the economic uncertainty, it makes sense for couples to postpone
wedding plans.

The only “comfort'' for Asians is  that
currency speculators have attacked other economies, including  that of Australia and South Africa.

Last month, the Australian media  blamed
George Soros' US$20bil  Soros Funds
Management and the  US$16bil US-based
Tiger Management as among the 100 major 
hedge funds, which control at least 
US$100bil, for attacking the Australian dollar.

And Australian leaders such as  Prime
Minister John Howard have  begun to sound
like Datuk Seri Dr  Mahathir
Mohamad.

While others have labelled these 
currency traders as “evil forces'', 
Howard described them as “poorly informed illiterates''.

Even the Australian media,  which had
blamed Dr Mahathir for  speaking up
against currency speculators last year, are beginning to  sound like the Malaysian press.

One Australian newspaper has  advised its
readers not to travel  overseas,
especially to the United  States and
Europe.

Ironically, these same newspapers had reported that incompetency, bad
management and corruption had allowed currency traders to move in and attack
the ringgit.

They even lampooned Dr Mahathir's idea that currency trading  must be regulated, adding that he  had made it worse by speaking up.

The Australian Broadcasting  Corporation
blamed him for the  currency depreciation
in a documentary, Dr Mahathir: The Wounded Tiger.

Some Malaysians, who regarded  the local
press as docile, began to  believe
everything they read in  Western
publications and on the Internet.

But as the Australian dollar continued to fall over the last 18  months, the Australian media have  changed their tune.

Even Merrill Lynch, which sold  off its
Australian dollars, has been  rapped with
warnings it may lose  future trading
opportunities with  the Australian
Reserve Bank, the  equivalent of Bank Negara.

Currency traders have hit back  at
Howard, saying he runs the risk  of
creating a credibility problem  and
appearing to be out of control.

The Sydney Morning Herald  quoted a
currency analyst as saying that Howard had “no serious  understanding of policy direction''.

The reality of the situation is that 
there has been retrenchment in the 
tourism industry as fewer Asians 
visit Australia.

Demand from Asia for base metals has dropped, resulting in declining prices of
aluminium, copper,  lead and zinc.

And, according to the Australian 
Financial Review, the Australian 
dollar is expected to slide to a record low of US$0.55 in the next
few  months.

Love-struck Australians are unlikely to heed the bad omens expected in the Year
of the Tiger.

According to the FEER poll, it's  cheaper
to marry in Sydney or Canberra these days 
that is, if you  hold the
greenback.

When exchanging vows, Australians shouldn't forget the familiar  ring in their media reports these  days.