Masing sees red over proposed Radio Kenyalang
by Peter Sibon and Samuel Aubrey, reporters@theborneopost.com. Posted on November 22, 2012, Thursday
KUCHING: Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) president Tan Sri Dr James Masing did not hide his displeasure about report on the proposed Radio Kenyalang which is primarily aimed at destabilising the party.
He questioned why such a communication tool would be set up in the first place.
“I am a bit disturbed about the easy access to air wave these days because this will allow lies to be aired unabated,” Masing told the media here yesterday.
He said the proposed setting of the radio station would require large amount of funding.
“Where does the funding come from? I am curious,” he said.
Radio Kenyalang is the latest tool Sarawak Workers Party (SWP) is employing to destabilise PRS in its six (parliamentary) seats, though it (SWP) repeatedly claimed that it is a BN-friendly party.
Both SWP prime movers Dato Sng Chee Hua and his son Larry, who is also the party president, have continued to discredit PRS leadership in its efforts to win PRS’ six seats.
The battle for both parties to convince voters to support them in the impending general election would now be at a higher level with the setting up of the radio station
State BN secretary-general Datuk Dr Stephen Rundi, meanwhile, said the state BN was aware of the issue at hand and would take the necessary strategy to counter any negative elements deemed detrimental to the state’s political stability and social harmony.
“I am confident that Sarawakians will not be easily influenced by this trick to go against the BN government which has proven itself to be a fair and just government,” said the Assistant Minister of Public Utilities.
Deputy Minister of Information, Communications and Culture Datuk Joseph Salang, however, said Malaysia was a free and democratic country and anybody was thus free to do anything, including broadcasting, provided that the action was within the ambit of the law.
Meanwhile, former journalist Lester Melanyi yesterday categorically denied he was a member of SWP even though he has been helping the party in matters related to the media.
Responding to yesterday’s news report which categorised him as SWP media unit chief, he said there was no such unit in the physical sense but admitted he understood why it was figuratively stated that way.
“I don’t deny that I have been helping the party in media affairs. But let me state it categorically that I am not a member of SWP. I just work for keep,” he said in a press statement.
Lester was mentioned in yesterday’s news report as the head of Radio Kenyalang, the latest radio station to transmit through short wave.
Reliable sources said the station would be something like Radio Free Sarawak (RFS), and it is bound to court controversies once it gets on air.
The source also said that Radio Kenyalang, which will broadcast in Iban, is linked to SWP.
Lester, however, said that SWP had no direct link to the proposed radio station.
New Iban language radio station in the offing
KUCHING: Radio Kenyalang will be the latest radio station to be transmitting through short wave, and it is bound to be courting controversies once it gets on air soon.
Reliable sources said the RK, which will broadcast in Iban, is linked to Sarawak Workers Party (SWP).
And just like SWP, RK will be BN-friendly but will hit out at Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) the party it declared it would contest against in the coming election.
The source also mentioned that RK will be something like Radio Free Sarawak (RFS).
It will be headed by Lester Melanyi, who is the SWP media unit chief. Lester, who has vast experience in journalism mostly in the print media, was at one time with RFS in London for a year.
When interviewed via email, Lester said he and a group of friends were in Kuala Lumpur and in London to work out the details on how to operate the station.
“We will get our airwave right from World Radio Network in London, meaning we will broadcast direct from London,” he said.
Asked whether RK will be based in London or Sarawak, Lester was evasive and merely said: “We are more than happy to operate from home but then again, we don’t want to be harassed or watch our back all the time.”
“Let’s just wait and see. Moreover, we hope the radio will be up and running in a matter of weeks. For a start, we will go on air for an hour,” he added.
SWP prime mover and now advisor Dato Sng Chee Hua also has years of experience in the media industry.
He was once the owner of The Malaysian Today, a local tabloid.
No comments:
Post a Comment