AUSSIE Immigration Minister Peter Dutton’s immediate apology to political editor of News Corp media Samantha Maiden for calling her a “mad witch” might well be something our politicians and high officials in the civil service could learn from.
If anything, Dutton’s use of an expletive on Maiden is most certainly less than honourable. But you have to take your hat off to the bloke for having the guts to own up and say sorry.
Maiden had written a column critical of Dutton’s colleague Jamie Briggs, a former minister who resigned recently over his behaviour with a young diplomat in a Hong Kong bar. Dutton’s message was reportedly intended for Briggs but wrongly sent to Maiden.
The Immigration Minister meant to console Briggs with the message “Mate, she’s a bit of a mad witch” to which Maiden replied “Mate, you’ve sent the text to the mad witch.” Maiden accepted the apology but left Dutton feeling uneasy and daunted enough to say: “I’m expecting a tough time in her next column.”
That was the little drama last week in the journalism world. I do not follow Maiden’s Column, so I am not sure whether she gave Dutton some “tough time” in her subsequent write-ups.
Journalists are probably a bit of a “mad witch” or a pain in the neck in the eyes of many.
Interestingly, few weeks ago, I received a phone call from a land director starting off asking me why I was applying for a piece of land located somewhere in the city. When I identified myself and told him I don’t need land, he said in jest, “Oh I must have called the wrong person with the same name as you, that’s why, I told my colleague I would not want to call the journalist. But anyway, you are the only person who has ever told me you don’t need land.”
According to a Chinese press, Pahang Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Adnan Yaakob when pressed by reporters on the bauxite mining issues recently questioned the IQ of the reporters saying, “You are mentally retarded.”
But in all fairness, there are politicians who believe in balance between free speech, secrecy and national security and will not lose any sleep over public scrutiny of their administration and policies.
Three weeks ago, local journalists gathered for the annual Kenyalang Journalism Awards, graced by the man of the moment in the State – the right honourable Chief Minister.
In his address, Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem challenged local journalists to expose injustice, abuse and the truth and he assured them of his support.
“Keep on exposing injustice perpetrated in our society. Once people read it in the newspapers, they will realise how unjust some people could be. Also, it could be a reflection of themselves for doing nothing,” he said.
Adenan asked the journalists present to identify poverty pockets and expose them, and also to find out what the government had done, not done or yet to do, saying this could be done by going to the ground to gather information on the actual scenario of rural poverty and whether promises of remedial action had been followed up and fulfilled by the government agencies concerned.
To show he meant what he said, the Chief Minister introduced a new category for “Rural News Reporting” at the 2015 Kenyalang press night. Reports by the state-traversing team of Borneo Post journalists, highlighting what the government had done, not done and yet to do to uplift the living standards in far-flung Baram, BaKelalan, Bario and Lawas, won the newly-minted award.
Also worthy of note was the fact that reports on the plight of a handful of residents at Laman Bong Chin in Kuching who were denied a way out of their house after a developer encroached onto their only access road, had scooped the News Reporting Award.
The quandary of the residents was readily resolved with the timely intervention of the Chief Minister’s Office after it was highlighted by the media.
Adenan has thrown down the gauntlet to the journalists to continue exposing injustice, abuse and the truth – and yes, Mr Chief Minister, we appreciate your support.
On Monday when the new school year started, some disappointed parents of pupils from a rural boarding school – SK Sundar – brought to light the smelly, torn and stained mattresses their children were expected to sleep on.
The Education Ministry tried to sweep the issue under the bedsheets but after the exposure on Monday, it promptly denied claims of neglect or a cover-up. Immediate purchases of new mattresses were reportedly made and, not surprisingly, after that, the issue was conveniently swept under the carpet.
Perhaps, we can draw a lesson from this statement of former US President John F Kennedy: “This (his) administration intends to be candid about its errors; for a wise man once said ‘an error does not become a mistake until you refuse to correct it’. We intend to be fully responsible of our errors and we expect you to point them out when we miss them.”
Kennedy could be addressing the press corps at a media event.
Incidentally, a friend shared with me this speech by Kennedy delivered half a century ago. Let me quote the speech which is still relevant today.
“No President should fear the public scrutiny of his programme. For with scrutiny comes understanding and from understanding comes support
or opposition. And both are necessary. I am not asking your newspapers to support an administration but I am asking your help in the tremendous task of informing and alerting the American people for I have complete confidence in the response and dedication of our citizens whenever they are fully informed.
“Without debate, without criticism, no administration and no country can succeed – and no republic can survive. That is why the Athenian law-maker Solon decreed it a crime for any citizen to shrink from controversy. And that is why our press was protected by the First Amendment – the only business in America specifically protected by the Constitution – not primarily to amuse and entertain, not to emphasise the trivial and the sentimental, not to simply ‘give the public what it wants’ but to inform, to arouse, to reflect, to state our dangers and our opportunities, to indicate our crises and our choices, to lead, mold, educate and sometimes even anger public opinion.
“This means greater coverage and analysis of international news – for it is no longer far away and foreign but close at hand and local. It means greater attention to improve understanding of the news as well as improve transmission. And it means, finally, that government at all levels, must meet its obligation to provide you with the fullest possible information outside the narrowest limits of national security. And so it is to the printing press – to the recorder of man’s deeds, the keeper of his conscience, the courier of his news – that we look for strength and assistance, confident that with your help, man will be what he was born to be – free and independent.”
In passing, I could not help but mention the story of Jabez as told in the Bible, I Chronicles 4.
It is told in only one paragraph: “Jabez was more honourable than his brothers.”
It was what the Bible calls honour that drove Jabez to rise above and live the large and bountiful life God had ordained.
May the Lord bless the honourable politicians of this country, particularly in Fair Land Sarawak, and enlarge their territories. Let His hand be with them, and keep them from harm. (cf 1 Chronicles 4:10)