教育部长希山慕丁说中文媒体断章取义。
于是,我去找了他讲词的英文版本来看。
在 Star Mobile 的 Mobile News 三月29日一篇题为 'Let teachers join politics' 的新闻,第11段的报导内容如下:
"There will be efforts to ensure that our children learn the Rukunegara and the institution of the monarchy in depth. They will also learn that the process of independence and later development was forged by Umno and our kings and no one else. This will be injected into our children's souls."
我用粗字体highlight出来的就是争议性的那段,让我将它一字一字地翻成中文:
独立的过程以及往后的发展,是由巫统和吾王们而非其他人所争取到来的。
要看全文的,请点击这里:
英文媒体 The Star 也作如是报导,能说是中文媒体断章取义吗?
而当首相被问及希山慕丁的言论时,他也同样附和。
以下是 The Star 的节录报导:
PM: Malays started fight for independence
KUALA LUMPUR: It is historically true that nationalism and the struggle for independence was first started by the Malays, says the Prime Minister.
However, the country gained independence after the Malays, Chinese and Indian communities united to fight to free the country from British rule, said Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
Commenting on Education Minister Datuk Seri Hisham-muddin Tun Hussein’s statement on the role of the Malays in the country’s Independence that has caused some unhappiness among other races, Abdullah said “it’s a fact” and true that the Malays, led by Datuk Onn Jaafar, initiated the struggle for Independence.
首相说,我国独立运动确实是由马来人发起的。在拿督翁惹化的带领下,他们发起我国独立运动,这是不争的事实。
首相表示同意希山慕丁的言论,难道首相也断章取义吗?
希山发现失言後,周一在国会澄清说:他并没有完全否决友党的角色。
问题是,他说“the process of independence and later development was forged by Umno and our kings and no one else”却是事实。
或许他是无意的,在说这些话的当儿,他完全忘记了其他族群和政党组织的存在。
当然,要责怪媒体是很容易的事。
但部长不应只是责怪中文媒体,因为不止是中文媒体“误解”他的话,连英文媒体也同样“误解”了他。
是部长的表达能力不好,还是媒体的理解能力太差?