While the Malaysian media is under siege, the NST has brought additional shame to the fraternity. It has opted to become a political tool rather than uphold the highest integrity of the profession. However, this time the newspaper has stooped too low, shamefully low and dishonest.
The New Straits Times has apologised to Australian senator Nicholas Xenophon over its report that said he made an anti-Islam speech in Australia's Parliament in 2009.
In a statement published on the NST website today, the daily said it had made a "grave error" in publishing the statements in the article.
"We accept that in his speech in the Australian Parliament referred to in the article, Mr Xenophon did not use the word 'Islam' and neither did he assert that Islam is not a religious organisation nor a criminal organisation hiding behind its religious belief.
"For the above reason, we hereby retract all the statements contained in the article against Mr Xenophon and unreservedly and unconditionally apologise to him for any distress or embarrassment caused by the article.
"As a further mark of our contrition, we have also removed the article from our online version of the newspaper with immediate effect," reads the statement.
An apology alone does not suffice. Both the news editor and reporter must be held responsible for the devious act. Both of them should kiss goodbye to their integrity and credibility in the industry.
All media professionals should take this incident as a good lesson to ensure that they do not compromise, ever!
Xenophon is right to feel disgusted and appalled by the devious allegation to smear his name. Fortunately, the blade cuts the other way.
6 comments:
If NST was regretful, why was the apology statement published on page 6 instead of front page....as it always does if such came from an Opposition member. It's time to test the court again whether it is independent as claimed.
Mr Khoo, please make sure none of your children , siblings or relatives take up journalism in their tertiary education bcos this subject has now become a joke in our country!
Cannot agree with you, Sir!
It is definately NOT gutter journalism. Gutters carry rainwater and sometimes dirty water from showers and kitchen sinks. Can be dirty yes, but...
This deliberate attempt by NST to change a word in what Xenophon said to blacken his name was not aimed at him Xenophon, but an underhanded attempt to assasinate theperson who invited him here - Anwar - as well as the event he was an observer at - BERSIH 3.0.
It is SEWER journalism, full of vile, stinking SH*T (excuse me for the expletive).
And NST's "apology" did not quite admit their serious wrongdoing - calling it a "grave error" is not quite admitting to a concerted and deliberate effort to take out a word and substitute another for it. Not an "error".
If at all, it was an error firstly on NST's part to think that they could get away with that,l and no one would either be the wiser, or worse, that even if folks spotted it, NST could brazenly get away it it.
And it may not stop there. Would NST do the dastardly deed by themselves?
Specifically, you wrote that the reporter should be sacked. That would be true if the reporter is the person who took it upon himself to do the word switching.
But was that the case?
Personally, though there is no evidence presently, I'd ask if someone above him in NST directed him to do so. If there was such a person, should the reporter be the sacrificial scapegoat?
And whether some "atasan" figure above that NST boss directed the NST to carry out the sewer journalism. If there was such a person, should the reporter and the NST boss be the sacrificial scapegoats?
But I still celebrate. Once again, it would appear that a smelly poitical move has bounced back to bite those behind it far worse than the intended effect on the targetted victims.
Check out the editorial in the print version of Berita Harian May 3rd 2012.
You will notice that NST cunningly left out the fact that the Senator mentioned Scientology in the Australian Parliamentary Hansard. The apology/explanation would leave discerning readers the impression that the Senator meant Islam but did not mention Islam by name. There is not hope for that newspaper (a misnomer) for even in their apology they try to obfuscate.
Adam
khoo,
you expect something good and honest from UMNO?
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