I hate Facebook!!
Najib: Election 2013 first social media election
- There are currently about 13.6 million Facebook users in Malaysia out of a 28.3 million-strong population, which is a 48% penetration of the population, according to monitoring website socialbakers.com.
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- According to the Oxford Internet Institute, Malaysia along with Brazil, has the highest Twitter use in the world. — TMI report (27 Feb 2013)
@ forum titled ‘GE13, the role of the new media landscape in Malaysia’
Wong Sai Wan:
“The rise of cybertroopers have made the social media unreliable. Cybertroopers are liars, thus making liars out of social media.”
‘Senior journo urges media to combat cybertroopers‘ (Malaysiakini, 28 Feb 2013):
According to Malaysiakini:
Wong Sai Wan claimed that the credibility of the mainstream media can only be regained by discrediting the social media and attacking political cybertroopers.
He also believed that the only way to run a media company independently is to make profitability their only KPI: “You do everything and anything for the bottom dollar. Any other way, and it becomes politically motivated”.
*** *** ***
The Star executive editor Wong Sai Wan’s remarks about making profitability a media company’s only KPI, and doing “everything and anything for the bottom dollar” really, truly explains why his paper is a pair of scissors.
He also needs to be reminded who exactly have been accused of being “Super CyberBullies”.
Wong Sai Wan further needs to be reminded that it is his own newspaper that has been so keen on popularizing its favourite personalities in social media.
As for how fast the Malaysian political social media is growing, Hannah Yeoh has 59,051 Twitter followers as I’m typing this now.
Earlier at 8pm when I uploaded my posting yesterday, i.e. four hours ago, the Twit Meter reading was 59,001.
In the span of the last four hours, Hannah Yeoh gained 50 new Twitter followers.
Wong: “Cybertroopers are liars, thus making liars out of social media”
The Malaysiakini article headline is ‘Senior journo urges media to combat cybertroopers’. What is Wong Sai Wan blabbering about?
He is urging the media – err, his own newspaper first? – to combat “cybertroopers” (?!)
Isn’t it The Star which, in the first place, discredited the very media (mainstream, traditional, print media) that he’s now calling upon to fight the troopers?
To refresh Wong Sai Wan’s memory, the Twitter handle Star Editor’s Choice – screenshot below – tweeted that Utusan printed “outrageous lies”.
Twitter is social media. The Star used this social media to spread the word that its competitor Utusan is a publisher of “outrageous lies”, presumably due to the said Umno-controlled paper losing two defamation lawsuits that Lim Guan Eng filed against it.
With friends like The Star, Utusan doesn’t need enemies.
Postscript:
See Twitter handle ‘@imokman’ above and “@imokman @hannahyeoh = DAP SuperCyber Bully” below. For those still in the dark, @imokman is the DAP election strategist whom The Star happily promoted as a Twitter personality.
Helen Ang 
“You do everything and anything for the bottom dollar. Any other way, and it becomes politically motivated”.
He just described politics.
I agree with you about the Star .
There in no way the MSM is ever going to regain its credibility since it did not have much to begin with. Maybe back in the day but right now the online media is Opposition controlled and the MSM is Establishment controlled.
The only difference is that the former does a better job of serving its political masters than the latter.
“You do everything and anything for the bottom dollar.”
– Wong Sai Wan
Spoken like a true Chinaman.
Well, at least now we know the Star is openly uninterested in journalism or its functions as the fourth estate.
Really? And how does the Star compare to the NST?
now that you’re paid RM1 per comment you come here to make a quick buck. oh my here we go again.
How do you compare shit with feces? Depending on which one has more blood in their stool?
1. Profitability is the only KPI then no need to promote MCA the owner.
2. Cyber troopers are liars, thus taking away their clients.
3. Sensation not news are priority, no need for invetigative jouno.
4. What are the Star’s mission, vision and values?
Hi Helen.
Not to derail the topic but im surprised you haven’t covered the ongoing incursion by the “Royal Army of Sulu.” The comments of the Pakatoons are really disturbing where they are basically calling for violence to end the stand-off instead of dialogue.
I’m too far away … 1,872km distance from the place of incident.
I cover mostly Selangor and Penang topics and the virtual city of Jerusubang.
Where did you read that the Pakatoons have suggested to end the stand-off?
“Where did you read that the Pakatoons have suggested to end the stand-off?”
The sentiment is there esp on Mkini.
The “report” that our lads “ran” away after warning shots were fired is being gleefully spun (by Pakatoons) as reflective of the state of UMNO or some shit like that.
The news blackout is not doing anyone any good except PR. Mkini is of course happy to “report” on the ongoing from a distance but see no need for sending anyone into the trenches.
I see the handling of this affair by the Establishment as their usual incompetence but patrolling those borders is in the end a hopeless endevour which they can not be blamed for.
This is not to say that there are a whole set of political variables at play here. The Federal goverment has been mucking about in Sabah and Sarawak for some time now.
A grodian knot formed a long time ago and it would not surprise me if this current situation is not just another loop in the knot.
However I take the hard line when foreigners with guns enroach on our borders and make demands of a democraticlly eleted goverment – even though I may disagree with said goverment.
Taking the hard line would off course open a can of worms that the idiot cubertroopers have no concept off. National security is always a set of compromises but in this case, sending a very clear message should be the main priority.
Agree that the long Sabah coastline is difficult to patrol.
Like the Dapsters think if Pakatan were to sit in Putrajaya tomorrow, the uniformed services would be more efficient in patrolling the Sabah sea (or porous land) borders?
Yeah, one reason why I too credit MK commenters compared to those commenting elsewhere is that they’re paid subscribers who have registered (so at least MK knows who they are). In a sense, they’re less phantom-y.
Just saw online an Inspector & Sargeant from the VAT69 commando unit was killed in a shootout with the invaders. If that is true, may they rest in peace.
Hishamuddin confirmed shots fired at security forces at 10am today. However security forces did not return fire. No mention of any casualties.
Bernama reported deaths. Emergency declared in Lahad Datu. Press conference @ 5pm
Two police commandos killed. The police has taken its first operation and the group dispersed and regrouped. Filipino news reported some surrenders. I think the situation on the ground is still fluid and dangerous.
I would have to disagree over the supposed incompetent handling of the situation by the authorities.
There are a myriad of potential potholes should the security forces forcefully crack down on the “invasion force”.
First up would be diplomatic relations with Philippines. President Aquino is obviously concerned enough to request through diplomatic channels for an extension of the dateline, 3 times if I’m not mistaken so far. Diplomatic relations were only reestablished in ’89 following the formation of Malaysia.
Secondly a gun battle would almost definitely result in casualties. This may prompt an insurgency of sorts where guerrilla like attacks are launched upon targets in Malaysia.
Thirdly, a peaceful end would do both countries a world of good. As things stand, there is a blockade out at sea & a cordon on land. As supplies dwindle, hopefully so would the invader’s resolve. If they decide on a kamikaze like attack on the security forces, all the pity.
I spoke to my dad about the current situation as he served in the Field Force Battalion that guarded the islands off the coast of Sabah in the ’80s. He recalled how they were ordered to sleep with their M-16s fully loaded & bandoleer within reach in anticipation of attacks. Even the barracks were fortified with sandbags to enable them to use it as a defensive point.
He told of how one night they were awakened by sporadic enemy fire. As it was dark, they could only guess where the enemy’s locations were. Instead of all out attack or returning fire blindly, they returned fire with the GPMG intermittently. When dawn came, the pirates had retreated.
When I asked him how that was relevant to the matter currently at hand, my dad smiled. He said the current generation normally feel that the velvet glove approach is the answer. By returning fire intermittently, the pirates are warned that the security forces are ready for them & are bunkered down. An attack, while it may bring victory, will result in major casualties.
Such will the case be in Sabah he said. Starve them, deprive them & sooner or later, dissension will occur. With it hopefully surrender or if armed intervention is necessary, reduced casualties. While it may not look good in the people’s book & a catch 22 situation for the authorities, I believe it is the right thing to do.
While I agree with your comments on the consequences of a
violent confrontation, I still maintain that the government was incompetent in handling this situation.
The media blackout served no purpose but to fuel speculation and the perception that the government was not in control of the situation.
Conflicting statements from the police and military served no purpose but to give the impression that the security forces in our country were shifting the blame as far as national security was concerned or worse engaging in a turf war.
Accusing a Filipino journalist (without offering any credible evidence but more importantly the government’s own intelligence operatives would know that the Sabah environs is a beat for Filipino journalist some of them no doubt work for Filipino intelligence) off spying “for the invading army” merely fed the perception that the government was looking was petty and against media freedom.
I too have a tradition of service in my family. Indeed one relative who used to “work the border” told an incredulous crowd who were skeptical and dismissive of the government “for not securing our borders” of the futility of patrolling said border.
He related how because the border was “porous” the likehood of people moving back and forth and setting up communities was a situation extremely difficult to control esp. when there was very little political will to do so.
Retribution from relatives of those “invaders” is also another consequence of violence.
The one thing most former members of the various security branches can agree on is that there is that most often when the security forces get a bad rep in situations like these it is because of the mishandling of the situation by their political masters.
A retired aunt who was in the intelligence services told me that violence was inevitable and perhaps the government was using the bad PR as a smokescreen, however she concedes that hers time was a different time (she served during Confrontation) and she hopes this is the case now but cannot say for sure with the “current bunch”
A an old Sabah hand who happens to be a Filipino journalist told me, not only is the border extremely porous but there is a large influx of “Filipinos” who happen to be Christian but are willing to masquerade as Muslims being allowed to settle in this country.
Pro establishment media may be silent or scornful of the Sabah RCI but the reality is that this standoff could probably be the shape of things to come.
I am actually surprised how quick the media was to judge, rather than to support our boys, whether the police or the army, in the situation.
I heard of the recent loss of two security personnel. I think Najib has essentially given the police and the army to act – a blank cheque. I believe our good will has been exhausted and negotiations are now off and it is only a matter of time how this will end.
I am concerned that few understood why the police need to take the lead for this incident and what kind of status or legitimacy are we according these gun men. Are they combatant enemies? Are they insurgents? Are they military army from another sovereign state? Are there Malaysians among them? It would be folly to assume too much and let our people on the ground do their work, from Bukit Aman to Foreign Office to Home Affairs to Armed Forces, plus Sabah state powers.
We have done our part in the diplomatic effort and we didn’t fire the first shot. I pray for a peaceful solution, but the Sulu “sultan” must realize that at their instigation, hostilities to our security forces has caused deaths in our land. The end, I expect, will not be pretty.
We learnt of our men in uniform’s sacrifice. Lets keep politics out of it. Hishamudin has been in Lahad Datu for weeks. President Aquino heard our requests and relayed them. I think the government tried on different fronts to diffuse the situation. Lets hope our boys can get this done swiftly with minimum casualties. The window for a peaceful resolution has is closing fast.
Just read another blogger’s take. My views concur with his, but will leave the opposition out of it at this point. The post did highlight my earlier rationale on why the police is on to this – our intelligence might have shown that local MALAYSIANS were involved.
http://syedsoutsidethebox.blogspot.com/2013/03/philippines-intelligence-malaysian.html
wait till after GE13, after the Malay/Bumiputera unity government is established. then people like this Wong will realize that they have made the wrong call.
Here are some links
http://dinmerican.wordpress.com/2013/02/25/51842/
http://dinmerican.wordpress.com/2013/02/26/philippines-press-stand-off-is-malaysias-karma/
http://dinmerican.wordpress.com/2013/02/27/51888/
Personally I think the situation can be better handled but through dialogue. Also protection of national sovereignty is of the utmost importance but Use of force should always be a last resort. Just shocked that the pakatoons think that using violence to solve the dispute will not have consequences. Also, they seem to think that BN had some hand in this incident.
no,no,no sir..they seem to think that BN has a hand in over ALL things including rain, thunder, pregnant cats & dogs, wind, changing of seasons,etc.
Don’t forget the meteorite crashing in Tunguska, Siberia in June 1908. Umno responsible for that too.
You are wrong there Helen. UMNO was not responsible for that. UMNO was responsible for the one which wiped out the dinosaurs…
I am supporting our police in this. I can understand the rationale for not turning it over to the army.
“Also, they seem to think that BN had some hand in this incident.”
but of course! :)
so predictable lah our stupid but singlemindedly nasty opposition. to me this definitely gives credence to the philippines intelligence report today that the msian opposition is one of the triad involved in instigating this incident.
this is sooo straight from the anwar ibrahim’s rulebook. first order of business when complicit in any wrongdoing is to deny and accuse others of the very thing you did. then do all the needed dirty to bring about unrest. it creates diversion as well as the necessary taint to the truth when and if it ever comes out. works so far for him because there will always be morons too willing to buy it.
but this move is getting more than tiresome lah. when it involves harm to our nation’s peace and security, including loss of life, whoever is behind this on the msian side better be aware that they’ve crossed the line from vindictiveness to treason.
btw, do the opposition morons think they’re going to replace the whole civil service if they ever get to rule ke? can the bangangs not put down their cudgels and their political interests for a minute for the sake of national safety and security? i hope our security forces will not forget how little regard the opposition has for their safety – all in the name of bringing down the current administration.
Re: The claim Malaysian Opposition instigated Lahad Datu incursion.
Yeah I read that one too from Philipino sources.
It would be interesting to see if credible evidence would be offered to back up this claim.
As it is nothing would convince partisans that their side bears any responsibility (if any) on what went down in Sabah and that tragically the loss of life will merely be used as appeals to emotion.