WHAT IS ALJAZEERA'S AGENDA FOR MALAYSIA?

When I saw the biased news coverage on the recent demonstrations in Malaysia by the news channel Aljazeera it really brings dismay and anger to me. In fact I did sent an email to Aljazzra's online editor giving a piece my mind for its biased coverage on Malaysia.

I put AljazeeraOnline in this blog's link to a list of Websites and the Local and International newspapers so that you readers can have easy access to them and read and compare how they treat a particular news that occurs anywhere in the world at any one time.

I am a firm believer that knowledge and information is power. This had been brainwashed into me by my father as part of my upbringing. We are Mandailing people and the Mandailings are famous for emphasizing knowledge as part of their social values. In fact I wanted to quote the hadist of the Holy Prophet Muhammad s.a.w who said "Who is more honourable and in high esteem? A knowledgeable man or an ignorant man?" as a description for this webblog.

Logically why on earth does a TV Channel owned and based in Qatar , an Islamic country and and a member of the Organization of Islamic Countries(OIC), slanted the news when it comes to Malaysia?

This is the more disrespectful when Malaysia is the current Chairman of OIC.

But there more than what meet the eyes. If we compare ,for example, how Aljazeera treats two equally important Islamic countries, Iran and Malaysia, then we can really see how shabbily the latter is treated.

My business school taught me that in life we must know the truth and after knowing the truth then we can slanted the truth the way that we want it to. Thats the name of the game.

If we watch Aljazeera, it will treat Iran one way and Malaysia another.

For Iran, as far I am concerned and correct me if I am wrong, Aljazeera tends to be more respectful and give fair coverage. Why? Because Iran is a regional power in the Persian Gulf and Qatar being a small state not only can it not afford to antagonize Iran but fears it. The power that be behind Aljazeera knows about this.So as far as Iran is concern there is no mention of democracy or human rights or civil society for that matter.

For Malaysia we have been taken for granted as far as the Gulf states are concerned. Remember how we were played out during the bidding to be the host for the 2006 Asian Games which went Dubai's way through buying of the delegates. And how Tan Sri Imran, President of the Malaysian Olympic Council could not concealed his disappointment.

The same happened when Malaysia was asked to submit their candidate a few years ago for the post of the Secretary General of OIC only to be humiliated during the voting. The candidate from Turkey became the new SG of the OIC.

How come we as the Chairman of OIC and yet shown so little respect? Actually Malaysia and Indonesia even though thought of as successful and moderate countries in the Muslim world, both these countries are not considered as heavyweights in the Muslim world.

The team in Aljazeera that covers this part of the world are not Muslim Arabs but Europeans, mainly English who are given the widest leeway to talk about democracy and all the ideal human rights within the civil society which even their countries of origin do not practice fully.

If only Aljazeera emphasized about the same matters when they cover stories on Iran and Qatar it will make my day.