By Ding Jo-Ann
How did the local print media report on WikiLeaks’ disclosures involving Malaysia? The impact of WikiLeaks finally reached Malaysian shores when Australia’s Sydney Morning Herald (Herald) published leaked US state department cables of Singaporean officials’ views about Malaysian affairs. Interestingly, the leaked cables contained negative comments on both Prime Minister Najib Razak as well as opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim.
So which of the negative comments would our Malaysian newspapers publish? Here’s CIJ’s comparison of the details published in the Herald and what our Malaysian newspapers chose to emphasise or omit in their 13 December 2010 reports.
Comparison of Herald and 5 local newspapers’ coverage of Wikileaks on Malaysia
| Points in the Herald report | Sinar Harian: Anwar but no Najib |
Utusan Malaysia: Anwar involved? |
New Straits Times: Anwar did do it |
Star: Anwar & Najib |
theSun: Anwar but no Najib |
| – focused entirely on Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew’s opinion of Anwar having indeed engage in the conduct for which the latter is being accused in his second sodomy trial. | – huge Anwar photo on front page, with caption indicating his gesture was one of “apology”. – coverage devoted to Herald’s report of Singaporean officials’ opinion that Anwar did it. – unflattering comments about Najib and Malaysian government put in “World” section, in article entitled, “Singapore trashes Asian countries”. |
– “Anwar did commit those acts”, blared the headline. – report taken from Bernama on Lee’s comments. – but Lee’s comments that Anwar had been “set up” was buried in accompanying commentary about whether Lee should be called to testify in Anwar’s sodomy trial. |
– both the comments on Anwar as well as Najib having to prevail over the murder case of Mongolian model Altantuya Shaariibuu. It however gave more attention to the Anwar angle. | – fairly balanced report but did not mention Najib. | |
| 1. Anwar did engage in the conduct for which he was accused in his second sodomy trial | Reported | Reported | Reported | Reported | Reported |
| 2. Anwar’s sodomy charges a “set-up job” which he walked into | X | Reported | Reported
(In commentary) |
Reported | Reported |
| 3. Malaysia in a “confused and dangerous” state due to “incompetent politicians | X | Reported
(In “World” section) |
Reported
(In commentary) |
Reported | Reported |
| 4. Distinct possibility of racial conflict that could see ethnic Chinese “flee” Malaysia and “overwhelm” Singapore | X | Reported
(In “World” section) |
Reported
(In commentary) |
Reported | Reported |
| 5. Najib “has his neck on the line in connection with a high-profile murder case” | X | Reported
(In “World” section) |
X | Reported | X |
| 6. Najib an “opportunist” who would not hesitate to criticise Singapore if it is expedient for him to do so. | X | Reported
(In “World” section) |
X | X | X |
| Final score (out of 6 points) |
1 | 4* | 2.5* | 5 | 4 |
* Half marks for facts contained under “World” or “Commentary” instead of “News”