Thursday, November 15, 2007

Transcript of Malaysia's Information Minister's interview with Al Jazeera

Transcript of Malaysia's Information Minister's interview with Al
Jazeera News on the Bersih Protest.

Minister: I commend yo-yo-your journalists trying to project... to
exaggerate more than what actually happened. That-that-that-that's
it. We are not the-the and I-I congratulate your journalists behaving
like an actor, that-that's it...

Reporter: As you say that, sir, we're watching scenes of protesters
being sprayed by chemical-filled water!

Minister: YA! I am watching! I'm here! You've been trying... trying
to do it this - to do this everywhere but in Malaysia people are
allowed to, you know? We know our police head our colleague... Police
have whatever allowed the procession to go to the Istana Negara, you
know? Do police, first police, like, they handle them, they attack
them, they... the police don't, don't, don't fire anybody?

Reporter: Our correspondent came back to the office, sir, with
chemicals in his eyes!

Minister:You-you-you-you are here with the idea, you are trying to
project, what is your mind! You think that we Pakistan, we are Burma,
we are Myanmar. Everything you-you are thinking! WE ARE DIFFERENT! We
are totally different!

Reporter: Well unfortunately when you refuse to let people protest,
it does appear so.

Minister: Ya ya we are not like you! You-you have earlier perception,
you come here, you want to project us like undemocratic country. This
a democratic country!

Reporter: So why can't people protest then, if it's a democratic
country?

Minister: YES, PEOPLE PROTEST! People do-do... of course they
protest. We are allowing them protest, and they have demonstrated.
But we just trying to disperse them, and then later they-they-they
don't wanna disperse, but later our police compromise. They have
compromised and allowed them to proceed to Istana Negara! Police, our
police have succeeded in handling them gently, right? Why do you
report that? You take the opposition, someone from opposition party
you ask him to speak. You don't take from the government, right?

Reporter: Why did you not break up these protests...

Minister: Pardon? Pardon? Pardon?

Reporter: Why did you not break up these protests more peacefully?

Minister: I can't hear you! I can't hear you!

Reporter: Why did you not break up these protests more peacefully?

Minister: No we-we are! We... this protest is illegal! We don't
want..this... the... NORMALLY...

Reporter: OK, so let me return to my former question. Why is this
protest illegal?

Minister: YA! It's a illegal protest because we have the erection in
Malaysia. It's no-no point on having a protest! We are allowing to
every erection... every five years never fail! We are not our like,
like Myanmar, not like other country. And, and you are helping this.
You Al-Jazeera also is helping this, this forces. The, you know,
these forces who are not in passion, who don't believe in democracy!

Reporter: Alright, many thanks for joining us.

Minister: I don't, ya, you, Al-Jazeera, this is, is Al-Jazeera
attitude. Right?


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