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Source: TheStar newspaper 28/03/07

Today, I read about this nice article by Marina Mahathir at TheStar newspaper and you can as well read the online version from TheStarOnline.

Read about this article as well, Internet spawns ‘e-layang’ where they claimed that blog is easy to set up the account by signing up and can start to blog without any technical knowledge. To explain more well, this is being compare as easy as composing an email. Yeah, it’s true but I don’t agree when they want to talk about e-layang, then just leave us (bloggers) alone. Who can say bloggers = author for e-layang ? Nobody right ?

“ For instance, recently there have been some allegations of high-powered hanky-panky that originated on blogs, mostly to do with large sums of money. Now whether they are true or not, doubt certainly has been put in the public’s mind about some people.

Therefore the proper thing to do is to investigate quickly to ascertain whether there is any basis to the allegations. If not, come out loud and clear that the poor guy is innocent. If they are true, then take the proper course of action.

Instead, the immediate reaction has been to divert attention by creating doubt in people’s minds about the Internet in general and bloggers in particular. The objective of this is possibly to allow for any allegations that surface on the Net to be pooh-poohed as just some fanciful stories, and of no need for any attention. ”

- quoted from A blog is no e-surat layang, TheStarOnline.

I’m totally agree with what Marina trying to explain. Whether the facts reported is true or not, they should go and investigate and not just straight away blame bloggers for irresponsible for what bloggers write. When our Tourism Minister said that bloggers are liars, like to spread rumours or unemployed women lately is not something funny. Why I say the word funny ? You have to read and watch video updates from Tourism Minister, (video from MalaysiaKini).

The way Tengku Adnan give his comments about the issue where he had make remark about bloggers, when everyone is getting serious, he is smiling and half-laughing in front of the press. When you said something, you have to admit it or clear any confusion, BUT not just twisting with words and blaming other people for misunderstsand.

“ Some people have likened blogs to surat layang, those nasty anonymous diatribes against people that circulate and are read with the same voraciousness as gossip magazines. But there is a huge difference between those letters and blogs. For one thing, many blogs are not anonymous, unlike the writers of surat layang. Therefore bloggers who write under their own names are taking responsibility for what they are saying.

Secondly, unlike surat layang, one can always instantly respond to a blog posting by simply posting a comment. The more intelligent your response, the more likely you are to persuade people that what’s reported in the blog is not credible.

Indeed, one way for politicians to counter what they view as untrustworthy and non-authoritative blogs is to start their own blogs. Since they view themselves as very credible straightforward people, whatever they say on their blogs must surely be persuasive. “

- quoted from A blog is no e-surat layang, TheStarOnline.

We need to get things right, what is e-surat layang and what is a blog ? Don’t let other countries laugh at us. If the politicians keep blaming bloggers, how do we progress ? How do we encourage more people to blog ? I believe, most of the bloggers for example myself, blogs about things which are the facts, not twist of words, not rumours and lastly I have proper credits given from which source taken. Please leave us (bloggers) alone. PEACE!!!

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