Another school declared opened as TV3 highlights BN campaign

You know the general election is drawing near when they start "declaring open" new schools. TV3, in its midnight news bulletin a few minutes ago, showed PM Abdullah Badawi declaring open a school in Kota Samarahan in Sarawak.

A little later, TV3 news showed deputy premier Najib Razak in Kedah urging a crowd of farmers and fishermen among others to vote for the Barisan Nasional if the people wanted continued development. This sort of publicity for the Barisan Nasional is unethical when opposition political parties are denied similar time to highlight their campaign. It is also a veiled threat as it implies that there will be no "development" for the people of Kedah if they do not vote for the BN.

Then came an "advertisement" from the Ministry of Rural Development proclaiming how "cemerlang" Abdullah Badawi's first 100 days in power had been while the footage showed the new Prime Minister reading a speech about "wawasan". This "ad" was inserted within the news bulletin.

As you can see, TV3 has already embarked in less than subtle ways on the BN's election campaign trail.