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KL Media Soul-Searching Voters did not accept BN's adverts knocking the opposition and sought a more balanced picture, say politician NEWS ANALYSIS
BY BRENDAN PEREIRA
in KUALA LUMPUR
IT IS soul-searching time in Malaysia. Not just for
Umno politicians, but also for the brains behind the most expensive
advertising
campaign in the country's election history and the people who control media organisations. Anecdotal evidence and comments from politicians
suggest that saturation coverage of the Barisan Nasional's track record on
television and in the press as well as
attempts to portray the opposition as a motley crew of nobodies did not sit well with many Malays. Datuk Hasan Harun, a corporate figure and former Umno Supreme Council member, said: "We keep assuming that Malays are still the same." He was especially critical of the multi-million
ringgit advertising campaign that ran from Nov 21 until Nov 29.
Initially, voters were told to "say no to violence"
with images of street demonstrations providing the backdrop.
Later, the attacks against the opposition became
more pointed.
One ad, showing the picture of Datin Seri Wan
Azizah Wan Ismail, was headlined: "Even she can't trust her husband. If she
can't trust him, can we?"
Noted Datuk Hasan: "The advertisements on the TV
and in the papers were just too condescending for the younger generation."
A great deal of the campaign was premised on
assumptions about a generation fast overtaken by new attitudes and thinking.
A common complaint was that the advertisements were
insensitive to the psyche of the Malays who generally do not like to put down
people in public.
Some BN politicians also complained behind the
scenes that the media blitz was too focused on non-Malay voters, creating two
damaging
impressions: that the Malay vote was "unimportant" and the ruling coalition was cocksure of support from the community. But even if the messages had been more refined and less offensive, it is debatable if the media campaign would have been successful. The mainstream media lacked the necessary clout and
credibility to be the government's information vehicle.
People either switched off the television or read
the newspapers and discounted 50 per cent of what was written as propaganda.
Mr Ahmad Lutfi, editor of a Malay current-affairs
magazine, said: "People may buy the mainstream newspapers and read them, but
they
will also read the other papers and compare. You cannot just tell one side of the story." The "other papers" are Harakah, the mouthpiece of
PAS, several weekly Malay tabloids top heavy with articles on the Barisan
Alternatif, magazines and Internet
newsletters. Opposition politicians have complained for some time now of unfair treatment at the hands of the main English and Malay dailies, alleging that their statements were distorted. Another common grouse has been that the ruling
coalition is projected as popular and faultless.
At least one politician has stopped singing that
song since the ballot boxes were opened.
Kelantan Mentri Besar Nik Aziz Nik Mat believes
that the BN believed its own propaganda.
He reasoned: "With the help of the media, they felt
that they were in a comfortable position and could sleep soundly during the
campaign period."
The constant attacks against PAS also upset voters,
he said.
Over the past few months, the Kelantan Mentri Besar
has been portrayed in the media as a simpleton and a loose cannon.
But on the ground, people view him as a
clean-living spiritual leader.
An Umno veteran once warned his colleagues against
using the tough approach against the Kelantanese politician.
He said: "You must not try and cut jelly with a
knife."
His advice went unheeded.
An examination of the media campaign will be part
of the overall post-mortem on the elections that will be conducted by the BN.
But sources say that, apart from improving its
reach and influence with the electorate, the government will also look at
curbing the
proliferation of publications that spread hatred against the national leadership. The 300,000-circulation Harakah can expect to come
under closer scrutiny from the government.
Oleh pembaca MAHAFIRAUN 2020
08 DISEMBER 1999 |
