Monthly Archives: May 2012

By LIM MUN FAH Translated by SOONG PHUI JEE Sin Chew Daily

The United Nation General Assembly declared May 3 as the World Press Freedom Day in 1991 to raise awareness of the importance of freedom of the press and remind governments of their duty to respect and uphold the right of freedom of expression.

On this day over the past 19 years, the world's members of the media had reaffirmed the basic principles of the freedom of the press, expressed their determination in defending the freedom of the press, and even paid the highest respect and remembrance to those who have lost their lives in harness.

In Malaysia, we must use the opportunity to reflect and repeatedly ask ourselves: Do we enjoy the freedom of press?

Unfortunately, pressmen were violently treated during the recent Bersih 3.0 rally. Some of them were assaulted and injured, some of them had their cameras snatched and some of them had their photos deleted. That day is undoubtedly the darkest and ugliest day in the media history of Malaysia!

Unfortunately, such an incident infringing the freedom of the press took place less than a month after the Printing Presses and Publications (Amendment) Bill 2012 was passed in the Dewan Rakyat!

Unfortunately, the incident showing our backsliding freedom of the press happened less than three months after Malaysia was reported to have moved up to the 122nd place from the 144th place in the Press Freedom Index 2011/2012 compiled by Reporters Without Borders (RSF).

Unfortunately, the RSF pointed out in the report that although there is an improvement to the freedom of the press in Malaysia, they are still not optimistic about it. Sadly, the "prophecy" has actually come true!

The freedom of the press is one of the criteria to test democratic politics. As members of the media, we have to admit that the freedom of the press that we are having in Malaysia today is still having many serious deficiencies. There are sill various kinds of laws to suppress the freedom of expression. As a result, the media have been struggling in playing the sacred role of the Fourth Estate to supervise the government, push reforms and promote social progress.

Although the freedom of the press in Malaysia has been slightly opened and improved, the openness is limited while the improvement is slow. It is because, there are still many so-called taboos that must not be touched, and many so-called sensitive boundaries that must not be crossed over. The Printing Presses and Publications (Amendment) Bill 2012 still retains the provision stating that "a person found to have maliciously published any false news shall be guilty of an offence punishable for jail of three years and/or fine of RM20,000 maximum."

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World Press Freedom Day

Today, Pakistani journalists enjoy a lot more freedom to report and say what was unthinkable for them in the past. But this freedom comes with perils.

Pakistani journalists have every reason to celebrate the World Press Freedom Day on Thursday, the May 3rd. They have come a long way from the 1980s' authoritarian era of the Islamic military dictator General Zia-ul-Haq. Today, the Pakistani media enjoys a great amount of freedom to criticize governments, politicians, the country's powerful military and its ubiquitous intelligence agencies including the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). A decade ago, all this was unimaginable.

But this freedom has a price. The Islamic Republic of Pakistan has become freer yet more insecure for journalists.

A recent UNESCO report ranks Pakistan "the second most dangerous country for journalists the world over" after Mexico. According to the South Asian Free Media Association (SAFMA), 17 journalists were killed in the whole of South Asia in 2011, out of which 12 were killed in Pakistan.

Nasir Tufail, a Karachi-based journalist, who works for Geo TV, told DW that the Pakistani media was "definitely freer than before," though "not absolutely free."

Freedom to die

Journalists are threatened by both militants and Pakistani security officials

Tufail said the most perilous issue for the Pakistani journalists was to report on issues regarding terrorism and Islamism, and the journalists who were working on these issues had to be very cautious.

Imtiaz Alam, Secretary General of SAFMA, also said both state and non-state elements were against press freedom in Pakistan.

"So many journalists in Pakistan have been killed yet nobody has ever been brought to justice for these murders. The recommendations of the judicial commission investigating Saleem Shahzad's murder (allegedly killed by the ISI) have never been implemented," said Alam.

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Freedom means insecurity for Pakistani journalists

World Press Freedom Day marks the anniversary of the Windhoek Declaration, a statement of free press principles drawn up by African newspaper journalists in 1991.

In 1993 the United Nations General Assembly declared May 3 to be World Press Freedom Day in order to raise awareness of the importance of press freedom and to remind governments of their duty to uphold the right to freedom of expression. The date was chosen to mark the anniversary of the 1991 Windhoek Declaration.

Like the rest of the world, sub-Saharan Africa has experienced a notable expansion of media pluralism in recent years. The number of online newspapers that have burst on to the scene are just one example and in general African media consumers now have a much wider choice to turn to in their search for information. Tools enabling the instant dissemination of information, such as the microblogging service Twitter have become commonplace. But there are also many African countries in which independent media outlets and journalists still face harassment and violence in a bid to silence them.

Muzzling the press is still frequent in Africa

"Eritrea is absolutely the worst place for journalists, according to Ambroise Pierre, head of the Africa desk at Reporters Without Borders. In the organization's latest Press Freedom Ranking, issued annually on World Press Freedom Day, Eritrea occupies bottom place in the list of 179 countries surveyed. This does not surprise Pierre, since the Eritrean government abolished freedom of the press 10 years ago. Today, journalists work for the state media and have to print what the Ministry of Information tells them. Anyone who tries to defy the state lands in jail, he said.

Award for Ethiopian journalist

It's a similar story in neighboring Ethiopia. According to the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), about 150 Ethiopian journalists live in exile, more than from any other country in the world. One who chose to stay is Eskinder Nega. He's currently in jail, charged with inciting terrorism, and could face the death penalty. Nega was arrested after he wrote articles questioning the arrest of journalists and actor Debebe Eshetu. Previously Nega and his wife, Serkalem Fasil, were jailed for their coverage of a disputed election.

Nega has just been awarded a press freedom prize by PEN America, a branch of PEN International which promotes intellectual cooperation between writers and freedom of expression. His wife accepted the prize on his behalf in a ceremony in New York on Tuesday.

On the eve of World Press Freedom Day, Somali radio journalist Farhan James Abdulle was shot dead as he was returning home in the village of Garsor. The 27 year-old is the fifth journalist to be killed in Somalia this year.

Media under threat in Nigeria

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Press freedom in Africa

GENEVA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

The Internet Society today joined global celebrations around World Press Freedom Day, which focuses on the fundamental principles of press freedom. The Internet Society is strongly supportive of press freedom, fully recognizing that an open, global, and decentralized Internet is a pillar to enable all voices to be heard.

Building on the thematic focus of the last International Human Rights Day, which highlighted the transformational role of the Internet and social mediaapplications in giving voice to people around the world, the 2012 theme of the UNESCO hosted World Press Freedom Day is New Voices: Media Freedom Helping to Transform Societies. This theme is particularly timely in the wake of the popular movements in the Middle East and North Africa in 2011, which highlighted the important role of social media in generating awareness of and support for efforts of people from all walks of life seeking to have their voices heard. The Internet was a powerful amplifier for these voices.

The Internet Society strongly believes that the Internet is an essential vehicle for promoting freedom of opinion and expression, including freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive, and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers, as enshrined in Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Earlier this year, Markus Kummer, Vice President for Public Policy at the Internet Society, delivered a statement at the 19th Session of the Human Rights Council in a panel on the right to freedom of expression and the Internet. Kummer emphasized the importance of a multistakeholder dialogue to further this objective.

Kummer remarked, There is no doubt that the unique characteristics of the Internet have empowered individuals to seek, receive, and impart information and opinion in unexpected ways and scale. This success is based on an open and collaborative approach to technology development. The core values of the Internet pioneers were deeply rooted in the belief that the human condition can be enhanced by removing barriers to communication and information.

However, media freedom is fragile. Journalists are being harassed or killed for doing their work, publications are being censored or shut down, and laws are being passed which criminalize free speech. This reality does not change on the Internet. Along with the new communication opportunities offered by the Internet, new challenges have emerged through the use of measures such as content filtering, monitoring, and suspension of Internet access, often without due regard to individuals fundamental rights. Journalists should enjoy the same rights and the same protection whether they are working in online or offline environments.

A free press is essential to ensuring government accountability towards its citizens and to foster vibrant and dynamic societies. The open and global Internet has created a new set of journalistic and communication practices, amplifyingpreviously unheard voices and enabling new forms of democratic participation.

Lynn St. Amour, President and CEO of the Internet Society, commented, We believe an open and decentralized Internet is an essential platform for press freedom and human progress. The Internet Society will continue its work to ensure an open Internet that enables freedom of expression and the free flow of information online.

For more information on the Internet Society and World Press Freedom Day, visit http://www.internetsociety.org/worldpressfreedom.

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Internet Society Underscores Importance of World Press Freedom Day

FORT WAYNE, Ind., May 3, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Freedom Energy Holdings, Inc. (FDMF.PK) announced today that Michael W. Goltry, of Parsons & Goltry, Patent and Trademark Attorneys at Law, Phoenix, Arizona (www.patentsavers.com) has filed the Patent Application for the company's proprietary technology SR-139.

Brian Kistler, Chief Executive Officer, Freedom Energy Holdings commented, "It is exciting to announce that from here on out SR-139 will be known as "PATENT PENDING." Having SR-139 now "patent pending," adds a major step in protecting the intellectual property value for our shareholders." For more information please visit: http://patft.uspto.gov.

"I am looking forward to giving further updates in the very near future regarding the other projects we have entered into both internationally and domestically," concluded Kistler.

ABOUT FREEDOM ENERGY HOLDINGS, INC.

Freedom Energy Holdings, Inc. (FDMF.PK) is a publicly traded company that specializes in the identification and development of technologies with commercial applications in the energy industry sector. The company's original primary focus is the commercial development of its proprietary, heavy oil technology. KC 9000, a breakthrough technology, provides an effective and cost efficient system to enable heavy oil deposits to flow without heat. Recent research has developed and shown the SR-139 to be effective at breaking down asphalt shingles allowing the extraction and recovery of hydrocarbons.

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTThis press release contains certain "forward-looking" statements, as defined in the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Statements, which are not historical facts, are forward-looking statements. The Company, through its management, makes forward-looking public statements concerning its expected future operations, performance and other developments. Such forward-looking statements are necessarily estimates reflecting the Company's best judgment based upon current information and involve a number of risks and uncertainties, and there can be no factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those estimated by the Company. They include, but are not limited to, the Company's ability to develop operations, the Company's ability to consummate and complete the acquisition, the Company's access to future capital, the successful integration of acquired companies, government regulation, managing and maintaining growth, the effect of adverse publicity, litigation, competition, sales and other factors that may be identified from time to time in the Company's public announcements. Contact: Brian Kistler CEO, 260-490-9990Freedom Energy Holdings, Inc.

Investor Relations Steven Marcus DME Capital LLC 917-648-0663 http://www.freedomenergyinternational.com

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Freedom Energy -SR-139/Hydrocarbon Recovery Process Now Patent Pending