Oula Farawati looks at the resignation of Jordan's environment minister, two weeks ahead of national elections "I was a 100 per cent wrong" admits outgoing minister of the environment Hazem Malhas. An apology was not enough to fix the harm he created, and he had to submit his resignation to Prime Minister Samir Al-Rifai. In his infamous four minutes, the former minister angered national television, the mass circulation Al-Rai daily and radio host Mohamed Al-Wakeel. His comments were coated with the call for professionalism. But they were offensive: he called journalists names and spoke of their unprofessionalism using crude "street language" according to journalists. To his misfortune, Malhas's remarks came during a workshop in UN premises to discuss the media's role in sustainable development. He was criticising cases where journalists did not show knowledge of environment issues, and in other instances "disrespected the government or needed language editing" according to a recording of his remarks posted on YouTube. Al-Rifai's government is busy solving a myriad of issues ahead of parliamentary elections slated for 9 November. From vote buying, bullying and group fights to Islamist boycotts and those encouraging the masses to boycott the vote, the government's hands are full. The minister aggravated the media at probably the worst time. Angering journalists meant another burning front the government was probably too busy to handle. Right after the media learned of the abusive comments, the Jordan Press Association (JPA) council gathered for an emergency meeting, and issued a strong- worded statement that "condemns this irresponsible act which harms the government at a time when it bears a great responsibility especially the task of holding parliamentary elections." Prime Minister Al-Rifai said the royal decree accepting Malhas's resignation was a "clear message" that the government deals "professionally" with the media. The media was more than happy at the news of Malhas's resignation. Radio anchor Al-Wakeel read the resignation news three times during his daily morning show. The JPA welcomed the decision as underlying the official stance from the government. It also serves to emphasise the role of the press in "building a Jordan that is democratic and pluralistic and accepts the right to difference in opinions", a JPA statement said. But the government seized the opportunity to emphasise its own set of demands. Al-Rifai said at a lecture in the Royal National Defence College that "the media should also follow the government's line and adopt the same courage and morality. If a journalist abuses a citizen or an official on personal grounds, the media's duty is to act against that journalist so that all our institutions will rise to our genuine national values." This government has had its share of skirmishes with the media. It issued a code of conduct where media was stripped of monetary perks from the government and banned journalist from doubling as media persons and government officials. It also issued a law (later amended) that was seen as limiting the freedom of online media. "The code of conduct came to upgrade the national media. The media needs to rise to a high level of objectivity and credibility which requires the media outlets to steer away from slander and libel against persons," he said. But the Malhas-journalists issue opened other discussions among Jordanians, with many seizing the opportunity to attack journalists. One of them was long time opinion writer Ibrahim Gharaibeh who wrote in Al-Ghad that it was actually true that journalists were lacking in environmental knowledge. He argued that all that Malhas said was correct had it not been for the "name calling".
