The Pakatan Rakyat alliance has called for an immediate boycott of Malay newspapers Utusan Malaysia and Mingguan Malaysia for what it said was unfair reporting and for allegedly fanning racial sentiments.

In a joint statement issued at a press conference in the lobby of Parliament, Opposition leader Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail said the mainstream media had shown signs of opening up since the results of the March 8 polls.

However, many publications still gave wider coverage to Barisan Nasional and its component parties, while stories on Pakatan Rakyat tended to be full of distortion and misinformation to discredit the alliance parties and their leaders, she claimed.

The Parti Keadilan Rakyat president was accompanied by alliance members DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng and PAS deputy president Nasaruddin Mat Isa in reading out the joint statement.

Dr Wan Azizah said the worst were the two aforementioned newspapers, which she claimed unfairly criticised and demonised Pakatan Rakyat leaders.

She also alleged these publications were always trying to provoke narrow ethnic sentiments, "clearly with the intention of creating anger among Malays against Pakatan Rakyat component parties." (source)

And rightly so. I don't think it is just because the reports are skewed against PR component parties but more so because it is constantly using racial sentiments to create hatred and anger. Two days ago, I happened to switch on my television just to check out what's on prime time news on TV3 and felt nauseous at the propaganda against the PR-led Selangor State Government. The PR-led Selangor State Government is only 2 months old and you are making such a big issue on election promises not performed? What about the federal government's promises over 50 years? And what is this about 80 Indians making demands along racial grounds? Totally regressive, I must say.

If this country has to progress, it must be merits-based. All the poor need to be assisted regardless of race or religion. And all the intellectuals and skilled should be retained to continue to build this nation. Race and religious-based demands are outdated and does not benefit all. Or is it that our forefathers and governance has instilled upon us Malaysians a distrust for other Malaysians who are not of the same race or religion as us so much so that only those from our own race and religion are able to look after out interest?