Blackout of Anwar trial continues

By now it is obvious there is a systemic move to play down, if not black out altogether, news of Anwar's crucial appeal at the Federal Court, which has reached Day Seven today.

We can compare this blackout of Anwar with the prominent coverage given to the Cannie Ong and Norrita Samsudin murder trials, both of which have a sexual twist.

Today's newspapers had the following placement of newsreports:

The Star

Norrita trial - page 3
Cannie Ong trial - page 6
Anwar trial - BLACKED OUT

The Sun

Norrita trial - page 4 (top half)
Cannie Ong trial - page 4 (bottom half)
Anwar trial - BLACKED OUT

So much for editorial integrity in Malaysia. Need we say more? Shame on the editors concerned for keeping Malaysians in the dark about the Anwar appeal.

Blog visitor Anonymous responds:

I would like to draw your attention to s.3 of Judicial proceedings (Regulation of Reports) Act, 1962 (F.M. Act 29 of 1962) which impose restriction on publication of reports in judicial proceedings. The provision states:

3. It shall not be lawful for the proprietor, editor or publisher of a newspaper or periodical to print or publish, or cause or procure to be printed or published -
(a) in relation to any judicial proceedings any indecent matter or indecent medical, surgical or physiological details being matter or details the publication of which will be calculated to injure public morals;
(b) in relation to any judicial proceedings for dissolution of marriage, for nullity of marriage, or for judicial separation, or for restitution of conjugal rights ; or
(iii) in relation to any domestic proceedings;
any particulars other than the following, that is to say;
(1) the names, addresses and occupations of the parties and witnesses;
(2)the grounds of the application or a concise statement of the charges, the defences and counter defences and counter charges in support of which evidence has been given;
(3) submissions on any point of law arising in the courts of the proceedings and decision of the court thereon;
(4) the judgment of the court and any observations made by the court in giving it;
Provided that nothing in this paragraph shall be held to permit the publication of anything contrary to the provisions of paragraph (a).

Of course Anwar trial is important, but do tell the main newspapers on the restriction on reporting court proceedings. While we try to teach our children about good family values, the media on the contrary give a picture that extra marital affairs is acceptable and is widely practised. And this definitely injures public moral.

Anonymous' response prompted another blog visitor, Anonymous2, to send in these comments.

The comment by Anonymous is quite interesting. The final paragraph of his/her comment seems to imply that Anwar is already guilty of a sexual offence, i.e. indulging in an extramarital affair. Therefore, so went the argument, his trial should not be highlighted to the point of ‘injuring’ public morality. If that were the reason for the media’s ‘coyness’ in reporting the current Anwar trial, how then would you explain the high degree of excitement in the media reporting of the earlier Anwar trials in which we were shown, among other things, a mattress that were supposedly stained with semen. There were numerous graphic accounts of the sexual acts. In fact, ‘sodomy’ became a household word at one point in time in our society.

Besides, you may want to compare the media’s ‘shyness’ in reporting the current Anwar trial with the trial of Norrita. So much sex, gore and violence being highlighted, the very ingredients that had ‘graced’ the front pages of our seemingly morally discrete media. The reporting of such sex-related cases by the media tends to border on sensationalism.