The Star has its Top 10 stories of 2012, said to be based on Most Viewed stories on The Star Online in 2012. Ironically there was this most-talked-about story about The Star itself, which made it to the world news, but not into The Star Top Ten Stories of 2012!
This is definitely Top Story About The Star of 2012.
Erykah Badu, Allah Tattoo & The Star
The so-called offending photograph of American R & B singer Erykah Badu with the Arabic word for Allah written on her bare shoulders accompaning the article “Living Off The Wall” published in The Star’s Star2 entertainment section, on February 27, 2012.
On the same day, The Star carried an apology on its website, entitled “Apology for Erykah Badu photo”. The message: “A photograph of American singer Erykah Badu with tattoos of various symbols, including the Arabic word for Allah, was inadvertently published in Star2 today. We sincerely apologise to Muslim readers for this oversight.”
According to Malaysian Insiders, two senior editors Lim Cheng Hoe and deputy editor for features Daryl Goh, was suspended indefinitely.
Of course this is not the only time The Star newspaper has get itself into trouble with the issue of Islam. Remember in August 10, 2011, its Supplement Ramadan Delights featured an ad ‘Best Rib In Town’, ‘Whipping up an appetite, Mongolian Pork Ribs’ and ‘Authentic Prime Pork Ribs’? The next day, The Star issued an apology today over this issue. This time the newspaper’s group chief editor Wong Chun Wai was called up by the Home Ministry.
I am sure Datuk Wong Chun Wai did not say that newspapers do not have the “luxury of time” to go through the full process of checking everything in details, then they wouldn’t be able to publish them the next day!