I was drawn into an 'unprecedented debate' with some foreign diplomat buddies last nite - whether journalists and bloggers alike should be heavily penalised for lying. After some haggling over the medium of penalty, we agreed that they should!
We were actually discussing about Thai junta Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha's statement (supposed to be a joke) in Bangkok yesterday.
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Prayuth is known for his adversarial relationship with dissidents and local media, but on Wednesday he took it to a particular extreme.
The recent one is by Malaysian Insider, here and here.
This is not healthy. Demonizing the nation by spreading lies - about the administration, the economy, race and religion matters - will only put the country on the brink of 'development collapse'. Investors will shy away, and so are tourists.
The government, via Home Ministry and Communications and Multimedia Ministry should work closely with the Attorney-General Chambers (AGC) in formulating a stringent guideline (a new Act, perhaps) to stamp out media lies.
I don't know what has happened to the joint media committee set up by both ministries in 2011 but it is high time it is revived and functions.
Back to Prayuth, he remains defiant. "I insist that today, we are 99 percent democratic, because I didn't overthrow democracy at all," he said.
But he went on, delivering another set of chilling remarks: "I can’t even stop people from opposing me at this moment. If I genuinely had complete power, I would have imprisoned [critics] or handed them to a firing squad. It would be over. I wouldn't have to wake up at night like this."
Why not (in Thailand's case)? Back home, I think Sungai Buloh will be the perfect place to spread more lies!
We were actually discussing about Thai junta Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha's statement (supposed to be a joke) in Bangkok yesterday.
"You don't have to support the government, but you should report the truth," Prayuth admonished reporters in Bangkok. When asked what would happen to journalists who report out of line, he responded, "We'll probably just execute them."As to whether Thais and Malaysians agree with him or not, I believe media liars must be punished heavily.
According to the news agency Reuters, the chilling statement, intended as a joke, was delivered "without a trace of a smile."
Prayuth was apparently irked by a recent exposé by the Associated Press delving into the alleged use of slaves in Thailand's vast seafood industry. "If the media play it in a big way, do you know what will happen?" he asked, angry that such stories could hurt Thai exports. "If you just keep reporting, all Thai people will feel the damage."
The recent one is by Malaysian Insider, here and here.
This is not healthy. Demonizing the nation by spreading lies - about the administration, the economy, race and religion matters - will only put the country on the brink of 'development collapse'. Investors will shy away, and so are tourists.
The government, via Home Ministry and Communications and Multimedia Ministry should work closely with the Attorney-General Chambers (AGC) in formulating a stringent guideline (a new Act, perhaps) to stamp out media lies.
I don't know what has happened to the joint media committee set up by both ministries in 2011 but it is high time it is revived and functions.
Back to Prayuth, he remains defiant. "I insist that today, we are 99 percent democratic, because I didn't overthrow democracy at all," he said.
But he went on, delivering another set of chilling remarks: "I can’t even stop people from opposing me at this moment. If I genuinely had complete power, I would have imprisoned [critics] or handed them to a firing squad. It would be over. I wouldn't have to wake up at night like this."
Why not (in Thailand's case)? Back home, I think Sungai Buloh will be the perfect place to spread more lies!