Reflecting on an enriching journey with NST
My own official start with the New Straits Times was when I became its regular columnist. The exact date escapes me, but I know it was right around the turn of the century.
Given that I had been an occasional contributor to the Letters to the Editor before that, I can confidently say my association with NST has easily passed the quarter-century mark!
The newspaper industry, generally, has since changed almost beyond recognition, in particular within the past quarter century.
From writing out my articles longhand and sending over the final pieces by fax, I now tap out my articles from my laptop and forward the final copy via Whats-App to my editor almost instantaneously.
Similarly, newspaper readers the world over have largely migrated from reading hard copies to doing so online, though not necessarily from online versions of what is sometimes derisively labelled as "mainstream" media.
Social media is now the main purveyor of news or what passes for news these days, so much so "fake news" has been added to the news lexicon.
It is all rather sad when oftentimes now, friends need to ask around if what they read online is true.
We may have generally rejoiced that news now mostly reaches us "unfiltered", but how do we avoid falling victim to unscrupulous, if highly creative, news "manufacturers" and propagandists pure and simple?
"Buyers beware" is widely accepted by us as consumers, but we have never had to apply that to the news we consume. Until now, that is.
Filtered news brought to us by traditional news outlets comes through a rather cumbersome and expensive process.
When we receive such news, we know that it comes from verifiable sources that carry the old-fashioned burden of caring about their credibility.
Sure, each traditional news source carries its own political biases, but such biases are about as old as human civilisation and, in any case, are not unknown to readers.
Media freedom does not mean media free of political predilections, only that such predilections are given free rein, if not within one media outlet, then at least in any given media eco-system.
Personally, I feel privileged to be given this opportunity to be part of the NST family, not just to express my own views but to feel part of a kindred spirit that generally holds to a certain view of the world around us.
As in almost anything, this wonderful journey of a quarter century has come with varied challenges over the years.
Through it all, I have dealt with many editors, all of them invariably courteous, considerate and friendly.
As the NST navigates through the rough patch that the advent of social media presents and adapts — as it must — I am confident that, as with all intrinsically good things, we shall overcome.
We will then see the current state of technology-driven news-gathering and -presentation for what it actually is: a mere passing phase we will eventually outgrow.
Happy 180th anniversary, NST!
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Straits Times
3 days ago
- New Straits Times
Consult us before amending the Peaceful Assembly Act, say civil society groups
KUALA LUMPUR: Putrajaya should consult civil society groups before finalising any amendments to the Peaceful Assembly Act , said Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) commissioner Ragunath Kesavan. He said this was to ensure the regulations reflect and protect the public's rights. Ragunath said the involvement of such groups would help strengthen the provisions and ensure they align with international best practices. "The government should make it a point to consult us so the regulations are not only stronger but also more reflective of people's rights. "Our input would come from a broad range of perspectives, based on their experiences and observations. "They would have also considered the best practices elsewhere," he told the New Straits Times today. Ragunath said among the groups the government should engage with were Suhakam, the Bar Council and other civil society organisations, noting that such engagement would also help build public trust in the review process. He said the review should not only focus on technical or procedural amendments, but also key changes that could strengthen democratic freedoms. "This includes decriminalising street protests, shortening the notice period for assemblies, and removing the requirement for organisers to get permission from venue owners when a gathering is held in a recognised public space like Dataran Merdeka," he said. Asia Human Rights Labour Advocates director Phil Robertson said Putrajaya would share the draft of their proposed amendments and work closely and transparently with civil society groups at every stage of the process, including each revision of the amendments. He said the goal should be to build civil society support that champions the final amendments passed in Parliament. "The government needs to move decisively away from its preferred method of having government lawyers draft amendments behind closed doors while shutting out external proposals and commentary. "This law involves people's rights, so changes must involve the people at every step," Robertson said. He said the guidelines for revising the law should be based on the requirements of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). "It must also take into account comments and clarifications made by the Human Rights committee, which is the expert body that interprets the convention." He added that the Act must create the presumption in law that peaceful assemblies are worthwhile and should be encouraged, recognising that freedom of expression and peaceful assemblies are the cornerstones of a functioning, participatory democracy. "The government needs to stop fearing people's voices and demands, and understand that protests often highlight problems that need to be fixed, not covered up," Robertson said. . They were commenting on Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail's statement that the government was reviewing the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012 following the Federal Court's ruling last month that a key provision of the law is unconstitutional. The Federal Court struck out the provision criminalising failure to give police 5 days notice before holding an assembly, stating that it contravened the constitutional right to peaceful assembly. Former Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat said Section 9(5) of the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012 imposed a penalty that exceeded what is allowed under Article 10(1)(b) of the Federal Constitution, which guarantees freedom of speech, assembly, and association.
Sinar Daily
3 days ago
- Sinar Daily
Tengku Zafrul refutes Tun M, says US trade deal was to 'save Malaysian jobs,' not about 'being happy'
KUALA LUMPUR – Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz has dismissed former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's criticism of Malaysia's trade agreement with the United States (US). He called the claims inaccurate, misleading and damaging to public understanding. Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad He stressed that the decision was not about being 'happy' with the deal, but about protecting the nation's economy and saving Malaysian jobs. 'This issue is not about being 'happy' but about the responsibility to save the livelihoods and incomes of Malaysians. 'Negotiations were held to avoid the US' 25 per cent tariff that threatened more than RM198 billion worth of exports and 100,000 jobs, particularly in the electrical and electronics sector," he said in a Facebook post on Thursday. He said Malaysia succeeded in securing a 19 per cent rate, the same as other Asean countries, thereby prioritising national interests and economic stability. Addressing Dr Mahathir's claim that Malaysia had removed all tariffs on 11,000 US products, Tengku Zafrul clarified that the actual figure was far lower. 'The actual fact is that only 60.4 per cent of tariff lines are now subject to zero duty, not 100 per cent as claimed. 'The difference between 60 per cent and 100 per cent is significant," he said. He added that this measure was not about 'giving away' tax revenue but about defending export value, protecting jobs and preventing negative economic spillover effects. Tengku Zafrul also refuted suggestions that Malaysia had agreed to supply rare earth elements exclusively to the US or any other country. 'This is another untrue allegation. There is no agreement, whether verbal or written, to supply rare earth elements exclusively to the US or any other country. 'Why would Malaysia be so foolish as to accept only 5 per cent of the actual value when we could obtain many times more," he said. He added that since Jan 1, 2024, Malaysia has, in fact, imposed a ban on the export of unprocessed rare earth elements in line with a Cabinet decision. This policy, he said, is strictly monitored and reviewed every six months. The minister said the ban is part of a strategy to ensure all rare earth elements are processed locally, boosting economic value and generating high-skilled jobs. Malaysia is building a complete value chain for the rare earth industry, from upstream mining to midstream processing and downstream high-tech manufacturing. The industry is expected to contribute up to RM9.5 billion to GDP by 2025 and create thousands of skilled jobs. 'It is not wrong to criticise, but when criticism is made based on untrue allegations, it is wrong and can mislead the public,' he said. He also urged all parties to rely on verified information from official statements before making accusations regarding national trade policies.
New Straits Times
4 days ago
- New Straits Times
CAP wants SST imposed on cigarettes in 2026 Budget
GEORGE TOWN: The Consumers' Association of Penang (CAP) has called for the 2026 Budget to include a sales and service tax on cigarettes. CAP senior education officer and anti-smoking activist N.V. Subbarow said it was high time for this as cigarettes have been exempt from sales taxes for eight years. "The last SST was imposed in 2018 on tobacco products. After that, there was no tax on cigarettes for eight years, which is a big disappointment. "Smokers spend about RM500 every month. Even healthy food does not cost that much. "As such, we expect a mandatory sales tax on cigarettes in the 2026 Budget if the government wants to reduce the current number of five million smokers," he told the New Straits Times. Earlier today, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who is also the finance minister, said the government was considering a proposal to raise the tobacco tax to between 60 per cent and 70 per cent of retail prices. He said the proposal was consistent with the government's health reforms. Last week, Anwar had said the government would expand its pro-health tax framework to include tobacco, vape products, and alcohol, beyond just sugary drinks, under the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP). Subbarow said evidence from countries across all income levels showed that raising cigarette prices was very effective in reducing demand. "Higher taxes encourage some smokers to quit and deter others from starting. They also reduce the number of ex-smokers who return to cigarettes and reduce consumption among continuing smokers. "Given that this fact has been confirmed in other countries, CAP hopes our prime minister will announce a sales tax on cigarettes," he added.
