JOHN MCCAIN: “SICK AT HEART”

I, too, have been made sick at heart by the many mistakes made by civilian and military commanders and the terrible price we have paid for them.”

REPORTING FROM THE ASIA MEDIA SUMMIT
A WAY TO HELP PEOPLE IN CHINA
INTERVIEW WITH TOM HAYDEN

So today I write you, jet setter that I have become, from the Hotel Nikko in Kuala Lumpur, capitol of Malaysia, and home of the Asia Media Summit. The fact that I keep get invited to heady events like this is a sign that Mediachannel.org is known and respected in media circles worldwide. The fact that I keep going to events like may be sign that I will go to the opening of an envelope or maybe I am just a glutton for jetlag. Actually, I have never been here and wanted to have a look.

Here’s the bumff, as Canadians would say, on this event which is now underway:

“The 5th Asia Media Summit in 2008, will promote a varied and dynamic mix of content and format to enhance knowledge sharing and participation.

Participation for the Summit, one of the premier communication events in Asia-Pacific, is expected from more than 500 high-ranking government officials, policymakers, media owners and practitioners, academic and senior representatives from development institutions in 60 countries from Asia, Pacific, Africa, America and Europe.
The Summit provides a platform to discuss the role of media in development, particularly in addressing issues such as poverty alleviation, information gaps, and women’s rights. It also provides a view into ways on how media can further the search for open dialogue and a culture of peace.”

TAKING NOTES /TAKING PART

I can’t even count the number of media forums, conferences, summits and events I have gone to and literally all over the world. The impulse is usually a good one, promising an exchange of views and experience. They certainly build a sense of community, and the feeling of being a part of an industry. The goals are educational for those taking part with the hopes of encouraging building some type of platform/agenda for higher standards for the craft and the business.

Here in Malaysia, we are ensconsed in a fancy hotel. It’s a big deal. The country is honored; the tourist industry is delighted. We living, as most foreign correspondents often do, living in first world splendor in a third world country.

The prime Minister, meanwhile, as I understand it, is jailing bloggers.

This is a global affair based in a Japanese owned Hotel in Kuala Lumpur, with 500 participants from 65 countries here. The one session I attended yesterday was dominated by BBC types and while there were Chinese journalists and Al Jazeera executives it did seem to be an Anglo dominated affair. That changed by the second day as more Asians and Pacific Islanders arrived.

Are the people here to be seen or to see or both. For me, it’s another chance to get into the wider world beyond the US Empire, to connect with a resurgent Asia.

Ladavan Bua-Aim, exec Director of Thailand’s Foreign Office and Director of National Television of Thailand opened the session seeingthe Summit as as offering great promise because radio and TV channels –which have increased by 200 times in the last 50 years…She takes a progressive stance on the challenges media faces. Concern about media concentration of media power—not conducive to providing diversity—commericalism not in line with public interest objectives of media. She sees global dialogue as a corrective to the way to minimize the negative impacts of globalization…

The Prime Minister Y.A.B Daso Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi does not show . He sends his deputy Yab Dato’ Sri Modh Najin Tun Abdul Razak in his place to read his speech. The Deputy is related to earlier prime ministers. He is also a minister of defense—and has been responsible for reform and modernization of the military and was also involved in shaping a market driven educational system. He reads remarks by the Prime Minister

He begins with Salaam Aleikum. Conveys apologies of PM who couldn’t make it. Sadly, he says, we are gathered here in the aftermath of diaster in Myanmar and China. We observe a standing minute of silence.

There are weighty issue dealing with the media. Sees media as crucial for development.
New technologies can be tools. But often limited to a few. Training is key. Investing in human capital to promote information society. New policies are critical… The speech goes is mostly general, almost generic bla bla bla, but then backs into the big issue—ie freedom of the press here.

He doesn’t really support it.

He asserts there is no UNLIMITED right to speech. Its not absolute—cannot be used to violate or abuse the reputation of a people or individuals or defame religions….ties this to incitement of racial hate speech….

He asks where do you draw the line between disrespect and dissent—impacts and innuendos and says unfounded accusations are troubling…he supports so called “responsible” journalism and says it is essential to governance; he worries about sensitivities of religion—and protections against sedition….

He concludes with little specificity that he doesn’t really mind if this outlook “may cost us a few indicental points on a world press index—but, so what, because our security takes precedence…

Mmm, This sounds like doublespeak to me, and a rationale for censorship. I don’t like it, but no really challenges him. Maybe they are intimidated. I am not. I put up my finger when it was time for questions. Here I go again, about to get in trouble.

I had read about how the government has cracked down on bloggers it didn’tGlobal Voices On Line had reported on one recent case earlier this month:

Take note of what’s been happening in Malaysia these past few days since popular blogger and political commentator Raja Petra Kamarudin, 58, was imprisoned on Tuesday after a trial which saw him charged with sedition for having written a blog post.

If the Malaysian government was truly worried about bloggers effecting social unrest, now they have it. Remember, this is a country where any politician worth their mutton—Jeff Ooi was one of several Malaysians who rode their blog and calls for reform to Parliament in recent elections—has a blog, and even the old goats now blog too.

Ex-Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad has a highly-read blog, as does PM hopeful Anwar Ibrahim.
“They set up their blogs, and they try to close down our blogs.”

You can see the blogger featured in this report.

So I questioned him after he said there is a line that can be crossed and asked the minister of the government is just too thin skinned. How can you have freedom of speech when the government can unilaterally impose restrictions rules and regulations?

He recognized my American accent and played to the crowd. Nations, he said, can restrict rights, citing Guantanamo as if I would support that violation of human rights

I jumped back up to the mike for a follow-up and reminded him that only 20% of the American people now support that president and his policies. And that the point is that human rights should be universal…..

Many in the crowd gave me a hand but the Deputy Minister was not through. He defended the actions of his government vis a vis the blogger—and said he could have paid a fine but instead decided to go to jail. I later learned that one reasons for his defensiveness was that he is the one who this blogger criticized. He didn’t say that.

I had immediate visions of being escorted back to the airport. Instead, many Malaysians thanked me for speaking out because they are afraid to. I was more disturbed that others hadn’t.

I will have more on this Summit in the days ahead. Right now, I have to start thinking about what I am going to say in an hour or two.