Tuesday, November 13, 2007

This is the Information Minister of Malaysia speaking...

The Information Ministry (Malaysia) is not happy with the live coverage of Saturday's peaceful gathering or procession (some described it as a protest) by some 40,000 Malaysians (multi-racial) organised by a non-governmental organization, BERSIH, and supported by several political (opposition) parties. The protest was called in support of BERSIH's intention to submit a memorandum to the Malaysian Supreme Ruler at Istana Negara (National Palace). Following is the transcript of the telephone interview that Information Minister Zainuddin Maidin, former journalist with a Malay language daily, gave to Al-Jazeera tv news network. The transcript is from idlethink.com.

"...I commend your journalists trying to project, to exaggerate more than what actually happened. That, that, that, that's it. We, we are not, the, the (unclear what he said) and I, I congratulate your journalists behaving like an actor, that, that's (unclear what he said)", Malaysia Minister of Information Zainuddin Maidin (ZAM) told Doha-based TV Network Al-Jazeera on Saturday, 10.11.07.
Al-Jazeera: As you say that, sir, we're watching scenes of protesters being sprayed by chemical-filled water ...
ZAM: Ya, I am watching, I hear, (unclear what he said) trying to do it everywhere but in Malaysia people are allowed, to, you know .......... Police have allowed the procession to go to the Istana Negara, you know, do police, first police, like, they handle them, they ...... them, they ..... the police don't, don't, don't fire anybody ...
Al-Jazeera: Our correspondent came back to the office, sir, with chemicals in his eyes!
ZAM: ...You, you, you, you are here with the idea, you are trying to project, what is your mjind, you think that we are Pakistan, we are Burma, we are Myanmar, everything you, you are thinking ...
Al-Jazeera: Well unfortunately when you refuse to let people protest, it does appear so ...
ZAM: ...Ya, ya, we are not like you, you have early perception, you come here, you want to project us like undemocratic country. This is a democratic country!
Al-Jazeera: So why can't people protest then, if it's a democratic country?
ZAM: Ya, people protest, people then ... first they protest, we are allowing protests, and they have demonstrated. But we just trying to disperse them and then later they, you know, disperse, but later our police compromise. They have compromised and allowed them to proceed to Istana Negara. Police, our police have succeeded in handling them gently, right? Why do you report that and you take the opposition, someone from opposition party you ask him to speak, you don't take from the government, right?
Al-Jazeera: Why did you not break up these protesters ...
ZAM: Pardon? Pardon? Pardon?
Al-Jazeera: Why did you not break up these protests more peacefully?
ZAM: I can't hear you. I can't hear you.
Al-Jazeera: Why did you not break up these protests more peacefully?
ZAM: No we, we are, we, this protest is illegal. We don't want, this, the, normally ...
Al-Jazeera: OK, so let me return to my former question. Why is this protest illegal?
ZAM: Ya it's illegal protest bacause...
Al-Jazeera: Why?
ZAM: We have the election in Malaysia. It's no, no point on having the protest, we are allowing to have every, an election every five years, never fail. We not our like, are not like Myanmar, not like other country. And, and you are helping this. You Al-Jazeera also is helping this, this forces, the, you know, these forces are are not (unclear what he said), who don't believe in (unclear what he said)...
Al-Jazeera: I don't ... many thanks for joining us.
ZAM: I don't, ya, you Jazeera, this is, is Al-Jazeera attitude. Right?

Well.. what can I say... that was Malaysia's Minister of Information speaking... please do not cry... Malaysia Boleh!


7 comments:

Unknown said...

Reminds me of the Iraq Information Minister. This is really funny Tuan Syed!

Anonymous said...

Sdra SIA,

Apalah nak diherankan sangat, mamu zam ni pendidikan pun setakat Tingkatan 5 di Alor Setar, menjadikan beliau satu-satunya menteri kabinet persekutuan yang tidak berpendidikan sekiranya mengikut penanda aras kemajuan negara sehingga ini.

Berbahasa Inggeris? mana dia boleh selain daripada "yes, no, allright dan thank you". Dia juga tidak boleh menyebut singapura dengan betul sampai kini, menyebutnya "shingapora" dan basikal yang disebutnya "bashhsikal" sambil mengayakan putaran roda basikal untuk menyifatkannya.

Selain tidak boleh langsung (tidak fasih adalah tafsiran yang tidak tepat kerna memang beliau tidak faham dan tidak boleh bertutur) berkomunikasi dalam bahasa inggeris, zam juga mempunyai kesukaran untuk mengendalikan komputer, malahan beliau masih menggunakan "long hand" untuk menulis dan jarang-jarang sekali menggunakan khidmat shorthand PAnya. Justeru janganlah percaya apa sahaja yang beliau perkatakan mengenai komputer kerana beliau benda allah yang berada di biliknya di tingkat 8 angkasapuri itu hannya hiasan pejabat, apatah lagi apabila beliau bercakap mengenai teknologi maklumat. semua maklumat yang beliau tahu adalah daripada jabatan penerangan.

setiausaha sulitnya sabaruddin ahmad sabri yang sering muncul sebagai moderator rancangan 60 minit bersama menteri JUGA tidak berpendidikan tinggi, juga setakat tingkatan 5 di sebuah sekolah di ipoh. berbahasa inggeris pun sama tahapnya dengan bos dia.

justeru hancor la angkasapuri apabila pak lah melantik zam menteri penerangan. disamping tidak tahu apa-apa pun mengenai apa apa, beliau hanya menghabiskan masa di pejabat sebagai editor utama untuk berita rtm. tanyalah warga pusat berita rtm untuk mengesahkan cerita ini. apabila dia tak tau apa-apa pun mengenai apa apa, jadi yang beliau ketahui -- menyunting berita menjadi tugas harian seseorang yang bertaraf menteri seperti beliau.

harap-harapnya pak lah mengambil ingatan akan "kebodohan dan kegoblokan" zam semasa di udara dengan aljazeera untuk menukarnya ataupun merehatkan beliau terus. dengar cerita pada umur 68 tahun, zam yang tidak berpendidikan dan bukan ahli majlis tertinggi dan bukanpun ketua bahagian masih bercita-cita untuk dipilih sebagai calon di merbok! cukup sedih mendengar cerita ini...

Anonymous said...

ala kazzZam had made my day for the last whole weekend. It has been a very puas-hati weekend until today tak habis-habis since the day of merdeka hahaha... The more our stupid ministers open their mouth, the more dirt they spilt out to the whole world on their kebodohan in this bodohland. Heard that this interview part has been chop-off by astro during repeat that night. My appetite suddenly increase drastically til I ate 3 pinggan nasi that Sat/Sun night... muahahahaaaaaaaaa

Unknown said...

ARD,

Yes, the Iraqi Information Minister did or performed his duties very well. He stood his ground to the last day possible. He was even praised by the enemy, George "The Devil" Bush and Tony "The Poodle" Blair. And his command of the English language was good compared to our minister.

Anonymous said...

yes !!!korek..korek..korek
yes..yes..korek..korek

Anonymous said...

i'm crying...in laughter.

Anonymous said...

Declaring Pakistan and Myanmar as dictatorial or undemocratic, demonstrates that Zam has not attained the competency required to be a cabinet minister