The Star Saga, Episode III: Straight From The MB

This latest episode unfolded yesterday with The Star publishing a letter from the Selangor Mentri Besar. Well, the MB is of course free to write his letter just as the paper is free to run it.

But do not look for the letter in theSun because you will not find it there. Why not? The paper, after all, has given the story the most coverage. And especially when it has also questioned the MB’s concoction of ‘developed’ status for Selangor. What better place for the MB to have his letter published and take it directly to his critics at the paper, especially R. Nadeswaran? Or so one would think. Now, one may wonder whether theSun just did not care to publish the letter. That is, if the paper received it. But this seems unlikely for reasons that can be found in the earlier episodes of this saga.

Similarly, do not waste time looking for the MB’s letter in the NST because it was not there either. Curious thing, this NST; it has been quiet on the issue the whole time. Hmm.…

And so, back to MB’s letter in The Star. It is as though the MB could not just rely on his clone, The Star, to set the record straight for him; he had to take it upon himself to do it as well.

Problem is, if he wanted to set things straight, he would be disappointed. His letter raises more questions for The Star’s readers who do not read theSun (bear in mind that many places in the country simply do not get the paper). Since The Star has not mentioned anywhere in its reporting about the controversy surrounding Selangor’s “developed” status, its readers would be wondering just what the fuss was about. Why did the MB have to write a letter to the paper? Doesn’t he have more important things to do in running the state of Selangor? Why was he so worked up, even sounding defensive, in his letter? Is there an issue with his claim of Selangor as a developed status? If so, what?

What indeed, “People’s Paper”? And as for the MB, just what part of the following sentence do you not get? Selangor does not become developed just because you say so.