Shahrir: Don’t give petrol as a prize

JOHOR BARU: Private companies have been requested to stop giving out petrol as a contest prize as it was subsidised by the Government.

Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Shahrir Abdul Samad said although he understood the rationale behind the prize, petrol was not a suitable gift when companies were trying to promote their products.

“I hope that the oil and car companies will stop giving out free petrol as each litre of petrol is subsidised with money from taxpayers,” he told reporters after handing out bubur lambuk at Masjid Jamek in Bandar Baru Uda on Sunday.

Shahrir said he had already informed his officers to pass the message to the relevant companies and that a “reasonable” deadline would be given.

“Those that have already announced their contests can finish them or they may be sued for misrepresentation, but must desist after that.

“Other companies should also not attempt to offer such prizes in future,” he said.

Shahrir pointed out that action could also be taken against the companies as petrol was under the list of controlled goods.

“We probably won’t take immediate action, as these companies probably were not doing it intentionally,” he said.

MIRI: Blogging has becoming a craze among politicians in this country since the last general elections, for it has been found that it could make or break their election results.

ENGROSSED: A section of the workshop participants. Lee is at right and Chia second right.

“There is increasing interest among politicians to take a serious look into this new phenomenon,” says Assistant Minister of Infrastructure Development and Communication Lee Kim Shin who was one of participants of a workshop on ‘New Media’ that was held at the Curtin University of Technology campus here yesterday.

Australian Journalism Review reports a staggering 60 million blogs as of May this year, with Malaysia alone contributing to nearly a million, of which nearly 60 per cent are political blogs.

“It means that over half a million views are circulating among millions of readers in the country and the world. It is no wonder that blogs had significant impact on the last elections,” he added.

Lee said with this rise in number comes the rise in audience size and political influence, and with this rise, comes the issue of responsibility and accountability of bloggers towards the law, the country and the people.

Pointing out that the phenomenon was both exciting and worrisome, Lee who is also Senadin assemblyman, said blogging was akin to a speedway where people tended to be reactionary and expressive.

Therefore, the responsibilities that come with the thrill to freely express can’t be ignored, said Lee.

Bloggers must therefore be responsible in saying the truth and projecting rational opinion for the good of the nation.

They must also be responsible to mobilise the public to think critically and act intelligently, and to shun personal attack.

They were also reminded not to incite the public for petty self-satisfaction and to respect democratic and interactive nature of blog.

“Empirical studies have shown that when people express themselves freely, and publicise their opinions, they do not always unite,” says Lee, adding that the strength of blog was its uncensored and unrestricted nature, which was also its greatest weakness.

Lee together with Pujut assemblyman Andy Chia and political secretary to Minister of Plantation Industries and Commodities Sebastian Ting were among participants of the

workshop, which was conducted by Sean Ang – programme manager for SEACEM and the Earth247.tv, and Rachel Chan – programme administrator and web editor of SEACEM.

Both trainers have conducted workshops for Malaysiakini.tv, Mindanews, Earth247.tv, Amnesty International, Bernama News International, Centre for Policy Initiative, Sisters in Islam, Tenaganita and Mizzima TV.

KUCHING: MASwings is offering ‘Groovy Online Offers’, a one-way ticket from Bintulu, Sibu, Kota Kinabalu or Labuan to Miri at RM39 each in conjunction with the Miri International Jazz Festival on May 9-10.

Minister of Urban Development and Tourism Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh who announced this yesterday said the offer represented about 80 per cent discount of the normal fare.

“The special fare is available for online purchase at MASwings website. Also, the first 50 customers will be given free entry passes to the Miri International Jazz Festival,” he told a news conference at Baitul Makmur in Petra Jaya yesterday.

Wong, who is also Second Finance Minister, was confident that the close cooperation between MASwings and Sarawak Tourism Board (STB) would help better promote the festival among locals and foreigners.

“The jazz festival is becoming popular as this is the third consecutive year it is being held. It brings in both local and international jazz groups to perform here,” he said, adding that the festival would gradually receive overwhelming response like Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF).

Citing RWMF as an example, he said its debut 11 years ago only managed to attract 600 spectators, with half of the passes given free.

“Today, the number of RWMF revellers has reached 24,000. About 60 per cent of them are foreigners. It is thus hoped that the jazz festival would follow suit and become a major festival in Miri.”

Wong said Miri, with room occupancy of at least 3,000 would be able to meet the accommodation need of about 6,000 visitors expected during the two-day festival.

Earlier, MASwings managing director Dr Amin Khan said the wholly-owned subsidiary of Malaysia Airlines (MAS) took pride in collaborating with STB to promote the jazz festival as a leading tourism-driven musical festival in the region.

“This is in line with MASwings’ objective to revitalise the economy and tourism industry of Sarawak and Sabah.”

Amin also said the involvement of MASwings in the festival was also meant to keep up with its aspiration to contribute towards the quality of life of the local communities.

“Through the jazz festival, with the presence of regionally and internationally recognised jazz musicians, we hope to increase the experience and appreciation of performing arts among the local community,” he said.

He pledged that MASwings would go all out to boost tourist arrivals in the state.

On ‘Groovy Online Offers’, he said that 500 seats had been allocated for the discounted fares, and that online booking could be made until May 2.

Asked why Kuching was excluded from the offer, Amin said: “MASwings has no Kuching-Miri direct flight yet. It will however offer three flights each for the Sibu-Miri and Kota Kinabalu-Miri sectors, two Miri-Bintulu, and four Miri-Labuan flights during the two-day festival.”

Meanwhile, STB corporate manager Benedict Jimbau disclosed that 1,500 tickets for May 9 and 1,800 tickets for May 10 had been sold out as of April 18.

“We are expecting some 3,000 spectators each night,” he said, adding that the festival received 4,000 visitors last year.