After reading the news report on the press conference by NGOs led by YB Edward Lee, the Bukit Gasing ADUN today, I decided to come out with this press statement to clarify the real position on the issue of hill slope development in Selangor.
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Press statement by Teresa Kok, Selangor state senior exco on 18th August 2008 at Kuala Lumpur
The Accusation That The Selangor Government Intends To Reverse Policy On The Ban On Hill Slope Development Is Fictitious
The news report published by The Sun on 14th August 2008 with the title of “Hillslope policy to be reversed?” written by Nadeswaran and Terence Fernandez and the article written by The Sun’s journalist Nadeswaran under the title of “Business as usual on the hills” on 15th August 2008 are misleading and examples of irresponsible journalism.
I am protesting against the first news report which implicated YB Ronnie Liu and me for trying to push the state government to rescind our decision on the ban on hillslope development. The said article also mentioned that the Menteri Besar met with Rehda at my insistence, and “Abdul Khalid is not in favour of meeting the developers but sources say Kok and Liu coaxed him into it”. The fact is, there has been a meeting between Menteri Besar and excos with Rehda on 25th July 2008. The meeting was requested by Rehda and it was agreed by the Menteri Besar in the exco meeting. As such the accusation in The Sun’s report is misleading, mischevious, fatally flawed and untrue. It is in fact very malicious for the writers to put such lines in their report as they are subjective and based on hearsay from unamed sources.
Ever since the Pakatan Rakyat came to power in Selangor, the state excos and MB have had series of meetings with various groups, including various business organizations. Selangor is business-friendly and people-friendly because both groups can co-exist and need each other.
The meeting between the MB, the Exco and Rehda on 25th July 2008 was the first meeting with Rehda after we came into power. Rehda’s representatives raised a series of problems facing them and hillslope development was only one in the list and not the only issue on that day. The way the two writers of The Sun singled out hillslope development as the only issue that was “lobbied” by Rehda via Ronnie Liu and me is absolutely not true.
The conclusion of the dialogue between the MB and Rehda is that we will initiate a dialogue between NGOs and Rehda on hillslope development, so that both sides can understand each other’s position better. Neither the MB nor any exco has ever come out with statement that said there might be a reverse on the ban on hillslope development whether privately or publicly.
As the two articles have created confusion and misunderstanding among residents and some NGOs on the issue, some NGOs have come out to protest against the “decision” yesterday.
This statement to clarify the real situation and position of the Selangor government.
I also wish to voice my protest and utter disappointment the misleading message that has been sent out from the two articles written by both Nadeswaran and Terence Fernandez of The Sun. I am very disappointed with the way Nadeswaran repeating the lie in his second article titled “Business as usual on the hills” on 15th August 2008 after I have clarified with Nadeswaran.
I can only presume, rightly or otherwise, both Nadeswaran and Terence Fernandez are very environmentally conscious and they want to pre-empt imaginary moves by the Selangor government to reverse the ban on hillslope development policy.
While we support the writers’ freedom of expression, they should also learn to be fair, just and responsible in their writing, and should refrain from cooking up fairytales about the Selangor government.
Teresa Kok
Why not take up the matter with them and, if what they wrote is not true or incorrect, get them to issue a correct version in the next issue of the Sun?
Yes I agree. All this commenting without meeting the persons involved directly to clarify things would not reflect well on you Teresa. I am sure you know that.
It will just give BN more fodder to create unnecessary doubts about PR and would not do good for the PP by election.
Teresa and Ronnie’s reputations have already been dented by the reports. I would think it’s only fair that Teresa uses any available forum to defend her integrity, and that of the Selangor government. The editors of The Sun are not that naive as not to know the reports were not balance. How many days now and still no correction from the paper? Justice delayed is justice denied.
Errrr… I thought Teresa sent SMSes to both the writer already? 😉
Makes me wonder… why the Sun’s editors did not bother to read up the SMS, and react upon the SMS?
or is it someone wants Teresa’s reputation to go down, for the benefit of someone else? 😉
Dear YB,
Given that i read this latest report in Sun yesterday, I don’t think it’s going to look good, as both YB Edward Lee and yourself are from the same party even. Not very sure whether the confusion is created, but it is projecting a negative image in a generic sense. I, too was holding a negative view until i did a double-check at your blog, but i doubt that many more would do the same.
You might need to get hold of all MPs, and somehow inform the mass that the reports were prejudiced in some way.
The reporting by Terence today is definately malicious.
He says Selangor has NOT YET reversed the ban on hillside development. That is ‘casting a doubt’ and fighting ‘non existent ghosts’. Then he says Ronie and Teresa are ‘justifying the requests of the developers.
These are two incidences of being malicious. These two reporters have gone beyond investigative reporting to casting doubts and trying to be ‘backseat drivers’ to the Selangor govt.
Therefore I see no further need to engage these two reporters. From time to time a press statement on Selangor govt policies would be sufficient. No need to keep re-engaging them again and keep justifying. Until such time they come out with constructive reporting.
No they are not with BN, but trying to remain relevant in a changing political scenario by finding non existent faults and trying to ride the politicians.
They think politicians should pander to them. And they think the politicians and the rakyat are not willing to challenge them and call them outright obfuscating liars. They think their past record of investigative journalism would hold them in stead and cower and defray challenges. Well, it does not!
As long as the ban on hillside policy remains for the moment temporarily, they is no need to engage them. Tell then Teresa, that you will call them, if and when, the policy changes.
(Temporarily because there cannot be a permanent blanket ban IMO. An exceptions rule has to be formulated, as in Bukit antarabangsa.))
i just scanned through su2 surf and there is no clarification from Citizen Nadeswaran nor its editor.
I hope he is aware of this going on. I enjoyed his articles but this is one big dark spot over an otherwise wondeful journalism.
YB, you are clearly upset but rest assure that many people do not believe what was written. Somehow Malaysians are trained to take a pinch of salt while reading newspapers.
well nades replied to u today. Wants u to be firm to with the developers.