WSJ meddling in Malaysia's domestic political affairs: Salleh

KUALA LUMPUR: Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Seri Dr Salleh Said Keruak (pix) said Malaysians should not be influenced by reports by the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) as their continuous onslaught on Malaysia's domestic political affairs is not about journalism.
He said instead, WSJ was forcing their own arrogant and misguided vision onto Malaysia and that if Malaysians submitted, it will erode the harmonious, stable and prosperous majority-Muslim state.
WSJ stories now don't even contain new information and they simply repeat and repackage unproven allegations they have previously published, he said.
"They never do anything to justify these smears beyond quoting anonymous sources and documents that – mysteriously – only the WSJ claims to have spoken to and seen?
"These may not exist, or they could originate from political opponents and be incomplete or wrong," he said in a statement today.
He added that WSJ's Malaysia coverage had become desperate and obsessive, and it had abandoned fact-based principles of independent journalism to become nothing better than a partisan blog – the willing vehicle of politically motivated forces.
"They are behaving like politicians and campaigners, not credible or independent media," he said.
As such, he said given WSJ's strong interest and inclination on Malaysia's domestic political affairs, WSJ should submit candidates to contest in Malaysia's next general election.
He said it had become clear the American newspaper and those feeding it for their own selfish objectives, such as Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and his proxies, want to influence Malaysia's political process and dictate who should form the government.
Salleh added the days of 'might is right' and having to obey colonial masters were over.
He said Malaysia will bend to no-one, especially neocon media like the WSJ who pushed for the disastrous foreign interventions in Muslim countries such as Iraq, adding they were partly responsible for opening up a pandora's box of death, destruction and instability.
"Malaysians know better how to govern ourselves and maintain stability.
"We will ensure that only Malaysians decide our country's future, and at the ballot box as part of the democratic process," he said. — Bernama