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Malaysia Urged To End 'Divisive' Row Over Foreign Satellite Channels
Kuala Lumpur (AFP) March 7, 2000 - A senior Malaysian opposition figure Tuesday urged the cabinet to end an "unseemly and divisive row" over foreign-language satellite television channels. Lim Kit Siang, chairman of the Democratic Action Party, said the row could lead to fresh racial polarisation in Malaysia, whose population is made up of majority Malays, as well as Chinese and Indians. Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad last week said the government would study the effects of the channels broadcast by the Astro satellite service. Astro offers 28 channels, four of which carry Chinese-language programming from Taiwan and Hong Kong. Another carries Tamil programming. The Utusan Malaysia newspaper last week quoted movie director Jins Shamsuddin as saying Astro carried "foreign elements" which would have a detrimental effect on patriotism. Zakiah Hanum, a historian and social critic, was quoted as saying that young Chinese would not be able to master the national language, Bahasa Malaysia, if they kept watching Cantonese-language shows. Lim pointed out that the complaints made no mention of the service's more than 20 English-language channels. "If foreign Chinese programmes are objectionable as being a form of neo-colonialism, then this should be extended to all foreign programmes regardless of language," he said. He said the timing of the campaign -- before May's leadership elections in the ruling United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) -- was "highly suspect." Lim urged the cabinet to end the row when it meets Wednesday. "So long as the loyalty of the Chinese and Tamils in Malaysia are praised sky-high before every general election but are openly doubted and challenged before every UMNO party election, Malaysia cannot be said to have succeeded in the nation-building process..." he said. UMNO lost significant Malay support in last November's election. The party is the dominant force in the ruling coalition, which relied heavily on Chinese and Indian voters to retain its two-thirds parliamentary majority. Transport Minister Ling Liong Sik said the Malaysian Chinese Association, which he also heads, would study feedback from the Chinese community and present the views to the cabinet. Copyright 1999 AFP. All rights reserved. The material on this page is provided by AFP and may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. CommunityEmail This Article Comment On This Article Related Links Space
Satellite Launch To Boost DTH In India
Calcutta, India (SPX) Dec 28, 2005The successful launch Thursday of India's heaviest satellite from spaceport of Kourou in French Guyana may have boosted the country's space research efforts to yet another level, but it has also lifted the spirits of at least three Direct-To-Home televisions broadcasters, one of which has been waiting for years to launch its services in India. |
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