The Star littered with BN political ads

Yesterday’s “people’s paper”, The Star, like most other mainstream newspapers, was littered with full-page political ads ‘selling’ the omnipresent product called the Barisan Nasional (BN) party. For instance, one ad claims that it has been proven that the BN has an “efficient public delivery system”. Another full-page ad, which was quite predictable in a post-Hindraf Malaysia, reminds the reader that the embattled component party MIC “Cares”.

Then, came the turn of the owner of The Star itself, the MCA, to assert in a full-page ad that, “2,300 non-Bumiputera students obtained full JPA scholarships to study overseas between 2000 and 2007. A marked increase compared to only 100 students before the year 2000.”

It appears that the financially flushed incumbent BN has decided not to pull any ideological punches in its fight to win the hearts and minds of the Malaysian voters. Apart from insisting that their political messages be relayed via news reports, the BN has left no stone unturned in filling the ad spaces available in the newspapers with their electoral propaganda.

We wonder whether the mainstream newspapers would allow the Opposition to place their political ads if they wish to do so - especially given the fact that they are often squeezed out by the incumbent BN in the normal news sections of the dailies. How much does full-page ad cost anyway - and how much has the BN already spent by now? Even if the Opposition is offered ad space, will they be charged the same rate and can they afford it? The whole advertising campaign is so one-sided, given the Opposition's marginal coverage in the newspapers and its meagre campaign budget. Is this what fair play and ethical journalism is all about?

Speaking of news reports, The Star yesterday (28 February) carried a headline screaming, “PM: People back Barisan”. The PM’s assertion that “the majority of the people would back the Barisan Nasional despite the Opposition’s smear campaign” was reported uncritically as if it were an unassailable fact. Why should a "smear campaign" apparently be the preserve of the Opposition while the one waged by BN is necessarily a clean electoral campaign?

On the hand, Kedah PAS deputy commissioner Mahfuz Omar’s statement in the same report was left reported as a mere allegation without any apparent attempt by the daily to verify it: “Kedah Pas deputy commissioner Mahfuz Omar alleged yesterday that a Barisan candidate and seven other members of a cooperative had been expelled because of an alleged corruption case involving a land purchase.”

Surely such a serious allegation demands immediate and close scrutiny by an investigative journalist worth her salt. Can we then come to the conclusion that the reason for the daily’s lackadaisical attitude is that the allegation involves a Barisan candidate and not someone from the Opposition, whose dirt is otherwise always worth reporting?