It's regrettable in the second day of fasting period, racist issue arises in the form of advertisement. Media Prima's unit 8TV has been alleged for racial tension in their Ramadan commercials that aired and was pulled out today.

Is that commercial racist in nature? You have a view below before you answer it. I strongly object racism in any form in this country, my opinion is that this ad misleads that Chinese does not understand at all (maybe simple ignorant) the concept of Ramadhan fasting period. This is not true after all.

Muslims are offended by this PSA (public service announcement) as it implies that they are forcing non-Muslims to condone their religion beliefs.

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Media Prima pulls ‘racist’ Ramadan ads (Malaysian Insider)

Kuala Lumpur, Aug 2 — Media Prima Bhd was forced today to axe a controversial series of Ramadan commercials on its 8TV channel after heavy public criticism and claims that the advertisements were racist in nature.

Media Prima chief operating officer Ahmad Izham Omar announced the decision on micro-blogging site Twitter after coming under fire for the allegedly condescending tone of the public service announcements.

“Ok guys. We’re pulling out the ads. Thank you very much for your concern,” he wrote at 3.40pm today.

Ahmad Izham then appeared to make light of the matter by changing the topic just seven minutes later.

“And now to more important things... Does a horn section sound better with 4 trombones? Or would just 3 trombones be enough?” he wrote.

The former 8TV chief executive had earlier tried to deflect growing criticism by asking people to “chill” and not to “overanalyse” the commercial, which advises non-Muslims how to behave during Ramadan.

Released as a public service announcement on 8TV, the three commercials depict a socially-inept “Chinese” girl eating in public, wearing revealing clothing and being loud and obnoxious during the Muslim fasting month.



The advertisements then suggest that non-Muslims refrain from such behaviour while in public, urging them to “please understand and respect the significance of Ramadan”.

Media Prima previously attracted flak from Muslims last year for airing a Hari Raya commercial with alleged Christmas overtones on TV3, another channel in its stable which also includes ntv7 and TV9.

Like 8TV’s Ramadan commercials, the Hari Raya advertisement was taken off the air after it stirred a storm of protests online.

Prior to that, 8TV was fined RM50,000 by the Malaysia Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) for airing an advertisement by Danish beermaker Carlsberg during the Euro 2004 championships.

View the video here: 8TV Ramadan ads

Other news:

TV boss urges public to ‘chill’ as 8TV Ramadan ad draws flak
Pakatan wants heads to roll over 8TV Ramadan ad
MCA: Dropping Ramadan ads is punishment enough
Ramadan ad controversy much ado about nothing, says Umno

The controversial 'fugitive' blogger; Raja Petra Kamarudin, now no longer, made a special exclusive appearance on TV3's Butelin Utama headnews. He was potrayed making a U-turn on what he said in his Statutory Declaration over allegations that the prime minister's wife Rosmah Mansor had been personally involved in the murder of Mongolian negotiator Altantuya Shariibuu in 2006. But the truth is he doesn't, but instead he uses this 'exclusive' interview to have nationwide attention to re-investigate his SD. Mainstream media continue to spin his story and RPK come up article Spot the spin contest to expose those 'kind' media.

Petra calls TV3's bluff, says 'now everyone is listening' Self-exiled blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin, who was interviewed last night by UMNO-owned television channel TV3, said the authorities could no longer brand him a "fugitive".

“If the government owned mainstream media goes all the way to Australia to interview me, that means my status is no longer fugitive mah! Get it? "We can handle the spinning. But they can no longer call me 'fugitive blogger'. So who wins?” asked Petra in an article he wrote on his Malaysia Today, following intense reactions over the internet about his purported 'U-turn' over allegations that the prime minister's wife Rosmah Mansor had been personally involved in the murder of Mongolian negotiator Altantuya Shariibuu in 2006. TV3, in what it called an exclusive interview with Petra in Perth, Australia, had suggested that Petra had now admitted he had been wrong in accusing Rosmah of being involved in the murder. Petra also scoffed at critics who questioned why he allowed himself to be interviewed by TV3. "Yes, TV3 gave me that opportunity to tell the story I have always told but no one appears to be listening. Suddenly everyone is listening, thanks to TV3. "Sometimes we need a storm to get people’s attention. Maybe now the police will do what I have been asking them to do these last three years: that is, investigate my statutory declaration and ascertain the truth behind what Lt Kol Azmi Zainal Abidin alleged," said the plucky 61-year old who is a member of the Selangor royal family. "I merely requested an investigation" The murder trial concluded in 2009, with guilty verdict passed on two of the three men charged, both of whose facial identity had been carefully guarded from photographers. Najib's close aide Abdul Razak Baginda, who admitted to having a romantic affair with Altantuya, was however acquitted and had since left the country. Since then, several allegations had been forwarded, including one by a witness in the trial, Razak's private detective P. Balasubramaniam, who claimed that Razak had told him that he (Razak) and Najib had both had sexual trysts with Altantuya. Altantuya's murder, he said, was also linked to her request for her share of kickbacks amounting to hundreds of millions of dollars with regard to the government's controversial purchase of France's Scorpene submarines. In the interview aired on TV3's news bulletin, however, Petra said he had merely asked the police to investigate allegations by several closely-connected sources that Najib Razak and Rosmah were involved in the murder. Petra explained that he had asked fellow blogger Din Merican (left) to ask Anwar whether the source of information, one Lt Kol Azmi Zainal Abidin described as "number two in the Special Branch of the Military Intelligence", could be relied upon. Din had then told Petra that Anwar had trust in Azmi's intelligence. He explained why he had made a statutory declaration dated June 18, 2008, the same which he had told online news portal Malaysiakini two years ago by revealing ‘his sources’ for his sensational allegation that Rosmah was at the crime scene, a forest clearing near Shah Alam, where remnants of Altantuya's body was found after being detonated. While Petra said he had doubts about the story's credibility, he nevertheless reiterated calls for an investigation. "It can't be that the Prime Minister's wife would want to go to such place; it's a jungle. I'm imagining, climbing up the hill, going into the jungle at night, at 12 midnight, I think it's quite impossible." "In my SD, I said that these people had told (me) and for these people to come forward and tell their stories, and for the authority to investigate and call these people." "That is what I've written in the SD (statutory declaration). I've never raised any accusation. I didn't say I knew that the Prime Minister's wife was at the scene at that time," the transcript quoted him as saying. Din confirms story

Several UMNO-controlled media had however claimed that Petra's latest statement was proof of his admission that Najib and Rosmah were innocent. Hours later, Petra shot back, listing down four news articles from the media, telling readers to make comparisons to what he had actually said. Meanwhile, Din Merican had issued a passionate denial on his blog, expressing surprise that his name was mentioned by Petra. "I have no disagreements with Prime Minister Najib. Let me state that I am not anti-Najib; in fact, a number of commentators in my blog have severely criticised me for being 'soft' on our Prime Minister and his policies," said Din. He however confirmed Petra's claim that he was asked to get clearance from Anwar about Azmi's credibility. "But it is a fact that Raja Petra called me to seek confirmation from Anwar Ibrahim regarding the reliability of a certain military intelligence officer. When I received confirmation from the PKR de facto leader, I relayed it to Raja Petra. That was all to the whole matter."

Have you read the article? What say you?