Senior producer at ntv7 Joshua Wong has thrown in the towel following what he claimed were “overzealous self-censorship and government interference”.
Wong, who produces popular hour-long talk show ‘Editor’s Time’, said that the “unreasonable restrictions” has been placed on his show, which frequently discusses the socio-political situation in the country.
“The top management at ntv7 have been unreasonable and unjustifiable. This restriction of freedom amounts to a punishment and it affects the professionalism of the team,” he said at a press conference in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall this morning.
Wong (left) said that the problem started when an SMS complaint was forwarded from the Prime Minister’s Office to his bosses a day after the first episode aired on March 18.
The episode was a forum between leaders from BN and Pakatan Rakyat, as well as two political analysts, on the performances of both coalitions since the 2008 general elections.
The complaint had alleged that the show had insulted the BN government’s policies, and that the political discussions were becoming “dangerous”.
The SMS also included rants with racial undertones, suggesting that Chinese people are “becoming rude” and that “the Malays should go to war”.
Wong, who have been a journalist for 16 years, also alleged that the SMS was forwarded by none other than the Prime Minister’s wife Rosmah Mansor, who received the complaint from someone else.
The top management at ntv7 then demanded a clarification from Wong, as well as programme host Lee Siad Huey.
Ntv7 is one of the four free-to-air television stations owned by Umno-linked Media Prima.
No discussion on Hulu S’gor
Since the complaint, Wong also claimed that his proposals for the show, including bringing in DAP MP Tony Pua have been shot down, with threats to cease production.
Plans to feature the current Hulu Selangor by-election were also bulldozed.
“At the end, there was an effective ban on political discussions, as well as featuring opposition leaders as guest speakers,” he said.
Wong also said that he was disappointed that his superiors did not investigate the complaint or even lodge a police report against the SMS which was seditious in nature.
“If we continue to allow such racial remarks, Malaysia will certainly be a hotbed of racism,” he said.
He also said that he hoped that his resignation will set an example to fellow journalists to stand up for their profession and not the accept interference lying down.
The veteran journalist who has been with ntv7 for seven years before calling it quits, was also flanked by Writers Alliance for Media Independence’s Sow Meng Keong, Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall chief executive officer Tan Ah Chai and columnist Josh Hong at today’s press conference (above).
More than 50 students from New Era College, where Wong occasionally lectures, also showed up in black T-shirts and placards defending him and demanding for “freedom of information”.
Award-winning journalist
Wong, have been a journalist with several Chinese dailies as well as the state-owned news agency RTM, before starting his stint in ntv7.
An investigative journalist, he shook the nation with his expose on a human trafficking ring of Burmese refugees run by Immigration Department officers as well as stray dogs being dumped in Pulau Ketam.
He also won a Malaysian Press Institute-Petronas Journalism Award last year for best video documentary for his work in exposing poverty among the Indians which was aired in the Mandarin ‘Edisi Siasat’.
The show ‘Editor’s Time’ rakes in an average of 175,000 viewers every week.
Merdeka review
23/04/10
Wong, who produces popular hour-long talk show ‘Editor’s Time’, said that the “unreasonable restrictions” has been placed on his show, which frequently discusses the socio-political situation in the country.
“The top management at ntv7 have been unreasonable and unjustifiable. This restriction of freedom amounts to a punishment and it affects the professionalism of the team,” he said at a press conference in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall this morning.
Wong (left) said that the problem started when an SMS complaint was forwarded from the Prime Minister’s Office to his bosses a day after the first episode aired on March 18.
The episode was a forum between leaders from BN and Pakatan Rakyat, as well as two political analysts, on the performances of both coalitions since the 2008 general elections.
The complaint had alleged that the show had insulted the BN government’s policies, and that the political discussions were becoming “dangerous”.
The SMS also included rants with racial undertones, suggesting that Chinese people are “becoming rude” and that “the Malays should go to war”.
Wong, who have been a journalist for 16 years, also alleged that the SMS was forwarded by none other than the Prime Minister’s wife Rosmah Mansor, who received the complaint from someone else.
The top management at ntv7 then demanded a clarification from Wong, as well as programme host Lee Siad Huey.
Ntv7 is one of the four free-to-air television stations owned by Umno-linked Media Prima.
No discussion on Hulu S’gor
Since the complaint, Wong also claimed that his proposals for the show, including bringing in DAP MP Tony Pua have been shot down, with threats to cease production.
Plans to feature the current Hulu Selangor by-election were also bulldozed.
“At the end, there was an effective ban on political discussions, as well as featuring opposition leaders as guest speakers,” he said.
Wong also said that he was disappointed that his superiors did not investigate the complaint or even lodge a police report against the SMS which was seditious in nature.
“If we continue to allow such racial remarks, Malaysia will certainly be a hotbed of racism,” he said.
He also said that he hoped that his resignation will set an example to fellow journalists to stand up for their profession and not the accept interference lying down.
The veteran journalist who has been with ntv7 for seven years before calling it quits, was also flanked by Writers Alliance for Media Independence’s Sow Meng Keong, Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall chief executive officer Tan Ah Chai and columnist Josh Hong at today’s press conference (above).
More than 50 students from New Era College, where Wong occasionally lectures, also showed up in black T-shirts and placards defending him and demanding for “freedom of information”.
Award-winning journalist
Wong, have been a journalist with several Chinese dailies as well as the state-owned news agency RTM, before starting his stint in ntv7.
An investigative journalist, he shook the nation with his expose on a human trafficking ring of Burmese refugees run by Immigration Department officers as well as stray dogs being dumped in Pulau Ketam.
He also won a Malaysian Press Institute-Petronas Journalism Award last year for best video documentary for his work in exposing poverty among the Indians which was aired in the Mandarin ‘Edisi Siasat’.
The show ‘Editor’s Time’ rakes in an average of 175,000 viewers every week.
Merdeka review
23/04/10
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