Monday July 9, 2012

Learn to accept criticism, media men tell Guan Eng

PETALING JAYA: Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng should learn to accept criticism and respond accordingly instead of over-reacting by displaying antagonism against newspapers, two senior media practitioners said.

Malaysian Press Institute chief executive Datuk Chamil Wariya said Lim must realise that the media was an important component of society whose criticisms served as input to politicians.

“Lim has to learn to accept criticism, which at times is bitter and hard to swallow. If he merely declares ‘war’ on the media by shutting them out, that is childish and does not reflect a mature and responsible politician,” said Chamil.

On Saturday, Penang Barisan Nasional chief Teng Chang Yeow urged Lim to respect the media and be “open-minded” in facing criticism after Lim attacked Guang Ming Daily over a commentary it published on July 4, accusing the daily of “targeting” him.

Several other major Chinese dailies reported that Lim had also accused Guang Ming news supervisor Chew Siew Hui of writing two commentaries, published on June 26 and 27, to “ridicule” him for not meeting Cuepacs representatives.

Utusan Malaysia and New Straits Times have also been banned in Penang from covering his press conferences. Lim also openly attacked The Star during the debate between him and MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek yesterday.

Veteran journalist Datuk Seri Azman Ujang said Lim should not get jumpy over media criticism on issues such as the rampant hillslope development in Penang.

“What he has displayed so far is shocking naiveté because while he can criticise everybody, he over-reacts when he is on the receiving end,” said Azman, a former Bernama editor-in-chief.

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