THE prime minister is right.

Unlike his predecessor, Dr Mahathir Mohamad never shies away from the press.

Regardless of whether he was unwell, tired or had to face the same annoying question about whether he would resign before his term was up, Dr Mahathir would face press full on.

The same, however, cannot be said about his cabinet colleagues and a reporter did not stray too far from the truth when he asked the prime minister when the cabinet would resume its post-cabinet press briefings.

“We are considering bringing that back,” Dr Mahathir replied, as Pakatan Harapan (PH) had identified poor communications as one of the government’s weaknesses after its meeting last Friday.

Many of the ministries stopped holding post-cabinet meeting briefings after the first few months, while some have yet to hold any.

In addition, Dr Mahathir also blamed the media’s love for controversial issues that put the government in bad light. The media, he added, should not focus on the extreme statements given by fringe groups or controversial issues but highlight the government’s successes.

This, however, is incorrect.

In the early days of the PH government, its own inexperience led to the PAS-Umno protest against the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD) in December. Similarly, five months later in April, poor communications forced the government to retreat on the ratification of the Rome Statute.

In July, the government was again on the defensive over the khat or Jawi issue.

After the story broke on July 25, it took another week before Education Minister Maszlee Malik said that it would not be tested. Following more protests from vernacular groups, Maszlee issued a confusing statement that teachers will be given the choice on how to teach khat.

He then took another week before declaring that khat would be optional in vernacular schools. 

And while the government acted swiftly against controversial preacher Zakir Naik after his public speech in Kota Baru, Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq Abdul Rahman and Bersatu assemblyman Mohd Rafiq Naizamohideen negated Putrajaya’s good intentions by publicising their meeting with the Indian fugitive.

Yet, when questioned by the press on the meeting, Syed Saddiq decided to keep mum. 

As Bersatu elections loom, Rafiq uploaded a poster of himself and Zakir on the Bersatu WhatsApp media group yesterday, urging the media to publicise the Malacca event on September 7.

So, is it the media’s fault if there is another demonstration in the coming days? 

Whether it is the inconsistencies over the takeover of tolled highways, the continuation of the Lynas plant in Kuantan or flying cars, these issues did not begin with the media. The media merely reported them and then reported the ensuing reactions.

The prime minister was right that he faces the media boldly, fearlessly and unflinchingly even. And for that, the prime minister has always commanded the respect of the press corp.

But the negative sentiments plaguing the government today is not the media’s doing. The media’s role has always been to keep the government in check, however contentious the issues are.

We questioned the British during the Malayan Union. We again quizzed the government during the Barisan Nasional era. And we too will not flinch during PH’s rule. – September 2, 2019.