Malaysia's blame of foreign media 'futile'

Malaysia's blame of foreign media 'futile'

By M. Jegathesan

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): Malaysians have come to the defense of the
foreign media following the latest attack by a cabinet minister
that their reports represent the "biggest obstacle" to economic
recovery.

A ministerial advisor, who asked not to be named, told AFP
that much of the so-called "negative" reporting about the country
was "due to self-inflicted wounds" over the past five months.

"The imposition of capital controls, the trial of former
deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim and the black-eye incident
have tarnished our image," he said, referring to Anwar's beating
in police custody in September.

"We are not engaging enough with the foreign media," a
ministerial advisor told AFP. "Malaysia has isolated itself."

Malaysia's second finance minister, Mustapa Mohamad, last week
singled out the foreign media as the biggest obstacle to
recovery.

"Our priority now is to restore the country's image and the
level of confidence in the economy to the level before we were
hit by the financial turmoil," he said. "After one whole year of
being condemned left and right, we must now work extra hard to
highlight our achievements."

Led by Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, Malaysian political
leaders have frequently blamed the foreign media for the
country's economic problems since mid-1997 when Asia's financial
crisis erupted.

In September last year, Malaysia imposed capital controls,
abandoned floating exchange rates and ended the external
convertibility of the currency while effectively imposing a one-
year freeze on foreign sales of Malaysian shares.

The drastic measures coincided with Mahathir's sacking of
Anwar, who was also finance minister, as well as the twin
resignations of the central bank governor and his deputy. Anwar
is now on trial on four corruption charges.

The ministerial advisor said it was pointless to blame foreign
media for thwarting recovery as reports only reflected what was
happening in the country.

"Unlike Anwar, the present leaders have failed to engage the
international media," he said.

"The basic rule that we must remember is not to pick fights
with the international media. But we have taken on the foreign
media."

Syed Husin Ali, chairman of the opposition Malaysian People's
Party, said Mustapa should focus on putting the economy back on
track rather than blaming the foreign media.

"He is barking up the wrong tree," he said, adding that such
issues as selective bailouts and Anwar's dismissal, along with
the timing of general elections and Mahathir's retirement, had
raised political uncertainty.

Malaysia's National Consciousness Movement, known as Aliran,
has meanwhile expressed over Mustapa comments making the foreign
media the scapegoat for the country's economic problems.

"The Malaysian government in fact is suffering from a denial
syndrome while preventing itself from effectively tackling the
country's economic woes.

"Such a stance may only further jeopardize foreign investors'
confidence in our economy," the group said in a statement.