MCA and new TV channel to fight Islamic challenge (fwd)

["M.G.G. Pillai" <pillai@mgg.pc.my>]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Sat, 04 Mar 2000 18:55:40 +0800
From: aduru@pl.jaring.my
To: pillai@mgg.pc.my
Subject: MCA and new TV channel to fight Islamic challenge

>From Harakah's Friday March 3 edition (which did not make it to the press
due to non-renewal)

MCA and new TV channel to fight Islamic challenge

Haunted by the growing influence of Islam in the Malay ground, UMNO has
drawn out two latest strategies to fight PAS's influence among
Malaysians from all walks of life. 

The first step is the creation of a new television channel funded by the
taxpayers' money - added to the already existing UMNO-controlled radio
and television channels and its variety of daily newspapers - especially
to counter PAS strength through its sole newspaper Harakah. The second
strategy will be left to MCA, another race-based party in the Barisan
Nasional.

MCA president Ling Liong Sik, who last year took a swipe at Islam and
its concept of the Islamic state, had admitted recently that its
greatest challenge was to curb the Islamic influence of PAS. Ling said
MCA and its BN partners "will stand together to counter these
challenges".

MCA's secretary-general Ting Chew Peh claimed if an Islamic government
of PAS is to rule Malaysia, the Chinese interest would be "adversely"
affected. 

Party insiders told Harakah that Mthe MCA leadership is concerned with
the liberal attitude taken by the PAS state governments in Kelantan and
Terengganu. This include PAS's lifting of the ban on pig rearing and a
more open approach towards building of places of worship for non-Muslims
in the State.

Television channel 

Assisting the MCA's task to fight the Islamic wind sweeping the Malay
comumunity is a new television channel by Radio Television Malaysia. The
government says the channel will be exclusively devoted to Islam to
counter opposition "false teachings."

Deputy Information Minister Khalid Yunus told AFP on February 29 that
details for the plan "are being worked out."

He said RTM would run the channel, which was necessary because "there
are too many false teachings of Islam."

"Many of these teachings are spread by opposition parties..this channel
will help to clear confusion among Muslims," he said.

Khalid did not say when the channel would begin transmission. He said
"tedious details" must be worked out before the proposal was submitted
for cabinet's approval.

Meanwhile, PAS described the proposed channel as an abuse of public funds. 

"UMNO (the ruling party) should use its machinery to counter matters
highlighted by PAS...starting a TV channel to counter our statements is
abusing public funds," said PAS president Fadzil Noor.