Is The Singapore Straits Times Out Of Touch?

As a patriotic Malaysian, I have never been too pleased with the Singapore Straits Times, what with its own brand of government propaganda that sometimes touches too raw a nerve to be considered neighbourly. However, I find this posting by Rocky interesting. In it Rocky questions whether the Straits Times is trying to put DS Najib and Tun Dr M at loggerheads with each other.

At the very least, the attempt could be to imply a cooler relationship than what has been captured by the Malaysian media, i.e. warmth to the discomfort of even some UMNO stalwarts!

However, my observation may be more damning for the Straits Times, as I wonder... HAS THE SINGAPORE STRAITS TIMES LOST TOUCH WHEN IT COMES TO MALAYSIAN NEWS? This observation is cemented by:

1. Evidence of hearsay that runs contrary to even non-MSM and blog related news in Malaysia; i.e. there is no hint of the incident described by the Straits Times of a closed door meeting between DS Najib and Johor UMNO, which would have included the TPM, TS Muhyiddin, who was backed by Tun Dr M in his recent party polls victory and a host of other sympathisers of either Tun or his ideas, where the scenic bridge was supposedly discussed.


2. The crooked bridge is not high in the agenda in Malaysia at the moment, just as the KL-SG high-speed rail connection is also not on the table. It would be silly for Singapore to think that its concerns and priorities are the same as ours. Of course, the Straits Times could be forgiven for being Kiasu...


3. The 2 UMNO leaders mentioned as 'reliable sources' are no longer at the hub of governance in Malaysia. Datuk Shahrir Samad is no longer in the Cabinet; he claims to have resigned after losing badly at the UMNO elections, but there were indications that his position in Cabinet was untenable from the moment DS Najib was to become PM. And DS Najib is his cousin!


4. The second UMNO leader mentioned, Datuk Nur Jazlan, also lost his insider knowledge with the departure of KJ and his other buddies from the Fourth Floor. Datuk Nur Jazlan unfortunately is also suffering from ridicule aimed towards him still for putting up his hand to be a candidate for UMNO's Deputy Presidency... he's seen as too young, inexperienced and still leaning on his father Tan Sri Mohamad Rahmat's political legacy.

Is that enough reason to question the Straits Times' credibility in reporting the goings on in Malaysia in the post-Pak Lah era? I supppose it was easier with Uncle Kali, Brendan and KJ around...