ON July 4, 1845, Henry David Thoreau started writing his autography book – Walden – in a small house in the woods of Walden Pond in Massachusetts, USA.
Of the many things Thoreau was – a political dissident, a naturalist, a philosopher, a writer – he was undoubtedly also a newspaper critic.
He noted: “I am sure I never read my memorable news in a newspaper. If we read of one man robbed or murdered or killed by accident, or one house burnt, or one vessel wrecked, or one steamboat blown up, or one cow run over on the Western Railroad, or one mad dog killed, or one lot of grasshoppers in the winter … we never need read of another. One is enough.”
Thoreau continued: “To a philosopher, all news, as it is called, is gossip and they who edit and read it are old women over their tea.”
No. I am definitely not as presumptuous or anti-social about “news” as Thoreau nor as pompous as especially the power-to-be that accuse the media of sensationalising and reporting only the negative and ugly side of society, particularly about corruption and poor governance by the government of the day. But, I can imagine how shocked Thoreau, 169 years later, would be at the barrage of information we are now continually exposed to on a daily basis.
Exposés of bad news and abuses by the media are important – not solely and
sorely for old women over their tea (or coffee which is more classy now) – as I believe the media (print and digital) disseminate information and their role as watchdog is becoming increasing effective and significant.
Thoreau said his decision to move to the woods of Walden on Independence Day was merely an accident of the calendar.
His mention of Independence Day could be coincidental but that’s immaterial. What matters more is our Prime Minister’s revelation of being enlightened about a very important issue by newspapers on September 16 – Malaysia Day – while he was in Miri to attend the Merdeka celebration.
He said he read from the newspaper(s) – I repeat from the newspaper(s) – that people were still polemical over the date of Malaysia Day and called for a stop to the debate over the number of years of the Nation’s Independence – whether it should be celebrated on Aug 31 or Sept 16.
“We are together through
the good and bad times and we will continue to march forward and make up for what is still lacking in these big states,” he stressed.
Starting next year, Najib said there would be no more mention of the dates of the Independence Anniversary or National Day celebrated annually to promote the spirit of greater oneness and solidarity across the nation.
“The National Day will be celebrated on Aug 31 while Malaysia Day will continue to be celebrated on Sept 16 – both days gazetted as public holidays,” he assured.
But Mr Prime Minister, there is more at stake than the quibble over the dates of the birth of our nation for Sarawakians and Sabahans.
Accepting Sept 16, 1963, as the birthday of Malaysia means the two Borneo states formed Malaysia as equal partners with the Federation of Malaya while accepting Aug 31, 1957, implies we joined the Federation of Malaya.
The latter date could mean the rights of the state were temporary conditions granted by the Federation of Malaya, whereas recognising Sept 16, 1963, clearly proclaims that the two Borneo states joined Malaysia as equal partners and their special rights are enshrined in the agreement on the formation of the federation.
It was not only for a day that the media in Sarawak and Sabah reported how the people in these two states had been reminding the federal government of the country’s age and their birthrights.
How much more grievance can a child bear when for 46 years, his birthday was not celebrated and remembered but only when he turned 47 (in 2010) that he finally got to celebrate his birthday? That is on top of how he was treated like an adopted child for more than five decades.
Thoreau could have had other ideas about what was newsworthy. But for over five decades in Sarawak and Sabah, their plights and rights must surely be newsworthy and I commend the media for their untiring reporting to highlight this fact – and thank God, the Prime Minister has finally read it.
Certainly, social media is not all about corrupt government as it is always being perceived to be.
Last week, Minister in the Prime Minister Department Datuk Idris Jala received due credit from an online news portal for speaking openly on the sedition charge against Universiti Malaya law lecturer Azmi Sharom.
Idris’ tweet – Azmi Sharom should not be charged for sedition. Academic freedom is required in pursuit of knowledge – was picked up by the news portal and commended for “breaking ranks with his cabinet colleagues.”
Also last week, the media highlighted a state minister joining hands with a private organisation to enable two three-year-old girls with bilateral profound sensorineural hearing loss, to undergo Cochlear implantation so that they can have the best chance of a normal life.
Few people would have known about such act of humanitarianism had it not been highlighted in the newspapers.
The good thing to come out of this touching episode is there is hope now (what is life without hope) of other deserving cases being given the necessary help and, more crucially, a second chance at life.
As a philosopher, Thoreau may have considered all news as gossip and likened editors and readers of news to old women chattering over tea.
However, while his message may seem quaint, the thought behind it is worth considering by the media.