Mainstream media DISTORTED truth about David Hartonto Widjaja through erroneous reporting and unsubstantiated speculation

March 9, 2009 by admin
Filed under: Coffeeshop Talk

When news of a ALLEGED “stabbing” incident involving final year Indonesian undergraduate student David Hartonto Widjaja at the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) campus broke on Monday morning, the mainstream media descended like a pack of rabid wolves onto the story, caring not for impartiality and honest reporting, but on spinning David as an aggressor, a psychopath and a suicidal man who got out of control.

The likes of OMY, Today, Channel News Asia, Asia One, and to a certain extent The Straits Times, had misrepresented critical information in their stories. Their misrepresentation of information and unsubstantiated speculation regarding pertinent facts of the case has since led to a DISTORTION of the truth behind David Hartonto Widjaja’s tragic demise, and has possibly damaged public perception regarding David Hartonto Widjaja beyond repair.

Consider these (information taken from TOC’s website):

Mr Edwin Lesmana Tjiong, who is a friend of the deceased, together with some other Indonesian students, was at the International Student Center on the night of the incident and had spoken to the deceased’s parents. Mr Tjiong reported that the parents had seen the body and stated that there were no wounds on the deceased’s wrists, a fact confirmed by the police. “It means that all media news about David slashing his wrist were fake,” Mr Tjiong said.
Mr Tjiong also reported a slash wound which was found on the deceased’s neck.
Mr William Hartonto Widjaja, older brother of the deceased, confirmed what Mr Tjiong said, saying also: “The policeman said that there is no wound found on David’s wrists and he asked me not to trust the media.”
The official press release from NTU said that Widjaja had fallen off the building. But Channel News Asia stated that Widjaja jumped off the building!
Omy insinuated that the deceased had attempted a dual suicide bid, which is nothing but pure speculation not based on any concrete facts whatsoever.
The Straits Times reported very vivid accounts about how the struggle took place based on testimonies of friends of Associate Professor Chan Kap Luk, including what happened in the professor’s room, how David had supposedly stabbed him in the back, and the kind of struggle that ensued. But how did the don’s colleagues know what had happened when they were not even in the room? How were they able to relate the incident vividly? Who were the colleagues that were interviewed? The source was not stated. Who did the reporter know who said that the deceased slit his wrists before running out of the office? Was this the exact chain of events or just pure speculation on the reporter’s part?

I strongly condemn the unprofessional, inaccurate reporting by the mainstream media that is based on unsubstantiated claims, and which has damaged public perception of David Hartonto Widjaja beyond repair, especially when the deceased is no longer around to clear his name and rebut these highly dubious claims. The mainstream media has made David into a violent and a mentally deluded person, when there is no substantial evidence backing these claims apart from wild speculation and anecdotes offered by colleagues of the professor who was supposedly attacked.

Shame on you, SPH. You have fallen very far, and your possible motives in painting David as the aggressor and psychopath in this incident is indeed very suspicious. But knowing the likes of you, the day we get the real truth from you is when hell freezes over.

Comments

6 Comments on Mainstream media DISTORTED truth about David Hartonto Widjaja through erroneous reporting and unsubstantiated speculation

ViciousCycle on Mon, 9th Mar 2009 6:16 pm

“The official press release from NTU said that Widjaja had fallen off the building. But Channel News Asia stated that Widjaja jumped off the building!”

No one wud ‘fall off his building’…:D esp after stabbing someone

NTU Prof dispels rumours : Sgpolitics.net on Thu, 19th Mar 2009 11:40 am

[...] Let me for the record state that I too am similarly bewildered by nasty speculation BY THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA over David Hartanto Widjaja’s state of mental health, including repeated insinuations that he was suffering from clinical depression, as well as unsubstantiated speculation that David Hartanto Widjaja had attacked his supervisor over the termination of his scholarship. From day one, the mainstream media has carried out a dreadfully lop-sided and biased account of the events, based entirely on what friends of the associate professor had to say. The mainstream media also perpetrated factual errors and inaccuracies without ever correcting themselves: see here. [...]

Justice on Wed, 1st Apr 2009 2:27 am

“No one wud ‘fall off his building’…:D esp after stabbing someone”

Vicious Cycle:
Please do not post anymore comments that would only make urself sound a fool!
It is definitely not a laughing matter, and no evidence has been found about who stabbed who. This is not perezhilton.com

Rediahata Jusman on Tue, 21st Apr 2009 1:59 am

TO SINGAPORE NAN YANG TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY AND SINGAPORE

GOVERNMENT: WHAT GAME ARE YOU PLAYING HERE? DO YOU PEOPLE, THAT

THINK YOU ARE SMART ENOUGH, DON’T REALIZE THAT SOMEDAY THE

TRUTH WILL ARISES? I JUST CONCERNED AT MY HEART. YOU ALL PEOPLE

PLAYING DRAMA THAT YOU CANNOT HANDLE THE CONSEQUENCE AT THE

END OF THE DAY.

REGARDS,
REDIAHATA JUSMAN
HONOR CITIZEN OF REPUBLIC OF INDONESIA

getalife on Tue, 16th Jun 2009 9:41 pm

REDIAHATA JUSMAN,

You think using caps is going to get you more attention?
All allegations by widjaja’s family and blind sheep friends are not based on ANY (see, i also can use caps!) truth or hard evidence.

Im almost sickened in my gut listening to what that silly brother of his has to say. Everything also dont want to believe? Everyone is out to conspire against them?

Please lah. The world does not revolve around david widjaja, who was some nobody undergraduate from NTU. and his final year project is not rocket science lah. the same topic was done by generations of students before him. He is also undergraduate level, not pHD! also, he was not even doing well in school so how can his project be worth millions of dollars???? hahahaha. what a joke.

And looks like the autopsy also showed that his right wrist was bleeding right? or will the family also NOT want to believe that. Maybe the toothfairy came and cut him with someone’s extracted molar?

It’s not normal when a loved one does something out of character and no one wants to believe? He was murdered? I certainly dont think so.

whats important is to come to terms that it happened and to bear in mind that he cant be brought back to life. best to leave it like that lah.

indonesian student on Fri, 23rd Oct 2009 3:48 pm

quote: “Please lah. The world does not revolve around david widjaja, who was some nobody undergraduate from NTU. and his final year project is not rocket science lah. the same topic was done by generations of students before him. He is also undergraduate level, not pHD! also, he was not even doing well in school so how can his project be worth millions of dollars???? hahahaha. what a joke.”

clearly you know nothing about David. right? do google-ing before posting your comment. it just makes you sounds stupid,getalife.

David got a scholarship from NTU. and he was graduate from one of the best school in Indonesia (where NTU always OFFERING their scholarship to their student) He hasnt become “somebody” because his life ended before he has a chance to achieve his dream

do your own research if you really want to know the truth..
stop insulting David. okay? he is dead.
how could you insult dead people??
youre heartless.

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