*SUSAN LOONE’s Blog*
“may the truth save us all”

Axe to grind?

English daily New Straits Times has terminated the weekly columns penned by two of its popular contributors – controversial filmmaker Amir Muhammad and social activist Zainah Anwar, where both columns last appeared on July 27 and August 2 respectively. (Malaysiakini).

While they are axing columnists with alternative views, I heard (not too long ago) they were recruiting journalists for their Features Desk. Sorry, oldies need NOT apply. They want people in their 30s. The salary? Up to RM6K for full-time Specialist Writers.

NST is also looking (perhaps already found) for a journalist who can write on Chinese politics (WITHOUT BIAS), including community issues and analytical pieces for the Op-Ed section. Reason: to provide news and views as elections draw ever closer.

Wanna apply? I don’t know if they’ve got their people already. But can you be “without bias“? if, not, don’t even think of it, okay?

31 Responses to “Axe to grind?”

  1. RM6K for your soul is very cheapie cheapie.

    wits0 - August 14, 2007 at 5:33 pm

  2. Just wondering if people really boycott the NST for 3 months, will it survive on advertisement alone? Just curious…

    Moses Foo - August 14, 2007 at 7:37 pm

  3. Moses boycott it for a year..no problem…UMNO will find ways and means to squeeze our money to back up all the looses. If it is profitable…also no problem…buy a oversea company worth RM1 company for RM300million and all the money will go to the seller ..who have the right to give them all legally to anyone as commission.
    And so on with profits and looses….all dedicated to WHO?
    S.Times seeking a non bias person to write?
    That’s good if they mean every word they say.
    But it is the EDITOR that select all and for final print that needs to be non bias most important of all…then all will follow.

    monsterball - August 14, 2007 at 8:12 pm

  4. But if one right now choose S.Times or Star to read….S.Times is more open.
    Look at the few headlines these days.
    Star is getting so much support…..because it mastered the art of writing what business people want to rad for so many years. It has established itself ….also for weekend horse betters.
    S.Times can never win with a Malay in charge trying to compete against a Chinese…in anything…period!

    monsterball - August 14, 2007 at 8:53 pm

  5. Malaysian politicians are far far lacking in being open minded. If S.Times is smart…employ few “very bias” writers….create issues for discussions and let the so call righteous people proof how wrong the writers are. That’s REPUTATIONS being exposed.
    The two sacked writers were writing not pleasing UMNO….that’s what it means ‘without bias”…must please UMNO…that’s good reputations to follow.
    Malays are not geared to be democratic by ruling parties…be faithful to UMNO like to Allah is what they are good at building up thousands of half past sixes…and Mahathir..the man who coined the word..’half past six’ had 22 years to correct them. He could do it and be known and loved as the greatest PM of all times….but he chosed to play dirty… filthy.. corrupted two timing snaky politics….all his life. Tunku Abdul Rahman was the only one who can read Mahathir’s character through and through….yet UMNO allows him to rule for 22 years.
    That speaks it all…how grateful Malay politcians are to the founder of the party …bankcrupt it by Mahathir and start another UMNO….he claims his own……what a cruel and cunning twister of history.
    I need to bring all these up….to highlight the characters of the UMNO politicians that controls S.Times…to say… “without bias” ..is just full of shit. UMNO is the most bias people in Malaysia….so help us God…for keep electing them to manage the country by us..the half past sixes. We deserve everything. We asked for it for 50 years.
    Let the younger generations be smarter than we half past sixes old folks.
    Bottom line….we are the shits piling up the huge dung….like one shit family.

    monsterball - August 14, 2007 at 9:23 pm

  6. When you have the owner who is bias and a racialist…..how can journalists survive without being bias…beats me.
    Maybe not bias for a while…then go back to old ways.
    So who is employed may have a short future….or change to be yes person…to toe the line…so to speak.

    monsterball - August 14, 2007 at 11:44 pm

  7. “Without bias” ? Sounds very political isn’t it?
    Nowadays, we will read a lot of wayang of sort . Anyone read about the Langkawi LID story ?
    Can’t wait to read TDM’s story on what really transpired as reported by Bernama earlier.

    bamboo river - August 15, 2007 at 6:49 am

  8. I know Zainah Anwar personally and I think she is certainly a very open person particularly when it comes to religion. Malaysia needs more people like her to counter the extremists and fanatics. Lately she has been under great pressure from religious groups due to her work at SIS (Sisters-in Islam) and probably that was why she was axed. Very unfortunate.

    Omigosh - August 15, 2007 at 7:03 am

  9. If I am not mistaken this is the second time she was axed from the Straits Times. She was also a popular columnist before.

    Omigosh - August 15, 2007 at 7:05 am

  10. [...] Axe to grind? English daily New Straits Times has terminated the weekly columns penned by two of its popular contributors – […] [...]

    Top English WP Blogs « KHỦNG LONG IT - August 15, 2007 at 7:15 am

  11. “Without bias” in NST terms means pro-establishment , something equivalent to VK Chin or Wong Chun Wai…heheheheh…

    NST has no breathing room for really independent minded writers..but I’m sure there are people who will oblige for the appropriate level of salary.

    Hey, I’ll write a Saintly article of Khairy for the right amount of money…typical Chinaman eh…

    kittykat46 - August 15, 2007 at 8:35 am

  12. Just looking for another Joceline Tan lah… somebody who can kiss ass without bias. Does not matter if it belongs to a monkey.

    jeancumlately - August 15, 2007 at 8:41 am

  13. “kiss ass without bias”.

    Associate with garbage and not get the stench? But then what do we know? Any Linguist will prove us wrong….don’t even need a Chomsky.

    wits0 - August 15, 2007 at 8:46 am

  14. Come to think of it , many of us have to do some kiss ass every day to make a living.

    “That’s a great idea”
    “You are always important to us, Sir”
    “I’ll get it settled for you right away, Sir”
    “Nice car”
    “I like your new hairstyle”
    “Nice new dress”

    kittykat46 - August 15, 2007 at 9:23 am

  15. the very fact that they axed amir and zainah shows that they are bias, isn’t it? and here they are calling for people who can write without bias.

    don’t make me laugh, NST!

    lucia - August 15, 2007 at 10:44 am

  16. KK46:
    “Come to think of it , many of us have to do some kiss ass every day to make a living.”
    ———————————————————-
    One can partake(as part of the crummy convention) without that attempt at outdoing everyone else and breaking the office or work floor record, apparently, like how it’s being expected and cultivated in Bolehland.

    wits0 - August 15, 2007 at 11:34 am

  17. Hi Wits0,
    Heheheheh…I know what you mean…in my workplace we have an unofficial award for Bodek King and Bodek Queen…

    kittykat46 - August 15, 2007 at 12:22 pm

  18. Kittykat46, that ‘Bodek King’ and ‘Bodek Queen’ is an old term for male and female.
    Now the latest is straight forward. Regardless of male, female or even Monkeys.

    We called it ” BODEK PUSAT” !

    Pusat = Belly button.

    bamboo river - August 15, 2007 at 1:08 pm

  19. [...] Axe to grind? English daily New Straits Times has terminated the weekly columns penned by two of its popular contributors – […] [...]

    Top Posts Wordpress English « Ngôi nhà số - August 15, 2007 at 1:41 pm

  20. [...] Axe to grind? English daily New Straits Times has terminated the weekly columns penned by two of its popular contributors – […] [...]

    Top Posts « Word of the day - Learning English online - August 15, 2007 at 1:59 pm

  21. kittykat must have kissed asses to think like that.
    Not everyone will sell their dignities for something.
    kittykat has yet to mix with people who have principles in like…not to kiss ass to make a living.

    monsterball - August 15, 2007 at 2:15 pm

  22. Latest News:

    DAP today announced the launch of its concerted Internet campaign – called e-campaign – as its latest strategy to woo voters in preparation for the coming general election. Jeff Ooi to lead.

    Ha, Ha UMNO and BN are in Deep Shit
    Ha, Ha UMNO and BN are in Deep Shit

    2legit - August 15, 2007 at 2:20 pm

  23. DAP today announced the launch of its concerted Internet campaign – called e-campaign – as its latest strategy to woo voters in preparation for the coming general election. Jeff Ooi to lead.

    Ha, Ha UMNO and BN are in Deep Shit
    Ha, Ha UMNO and BN are in Deep Shit

    Omigosh - August 15, 2007 at 2:21 pm

  25. KTemoc is showing he has experiences in that area…but instead of kissing arses…he kiss feet. Good for him….but feet or arses kissing are not many guy’s cup of tea to get something down….even it is is a tradition of one race showing kissing feet is a sign of respect…no way …jose!! …just shake hands..even then…must go washroom toilet and wash as soon as possible. He/she may have just berak..did not clean hands properly……hahahahahaha

    monsterball - August 15, 2007 at 8:28 pm

  26. ;-) your mouth (or text) is FTL but then you’re a monster, aren’t you hahaha

    KTemoc - August 16, 2007 at 9:35 am

  27. Meanwhile, Amir Muhammad, I heard, will be writing for theSun. Hail Kay Tat and gang!

    http://rockybru.blogspot.com/2007/08/amirs-sunset-amirs-sunrise.html

    hutchrun - August 16, 2007 at 3:53 pm

  28. SUSAN….my message did not appear again!!

    monsterball - August 16, 2007 at 6:00 pm

  29. Okay…Thanks Susan.

    monsterball - August 18, 2007 at 8:37 am

  30. KTemoc….What is FTL?
    Glad you did laugh it off….but everyone seen my photo…knows I am no monster lah.
    And so many do not agree with you…not only from me….check it out.

    monsterball - August 18, 2007 at 8:40 am

  31. I told NST i would write political propaganda pieces about Chinese in Malaysia. They turned me down because i demanded 10k a month.

    Nstman - August 18, 2007 at 3:37 pm


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