KUALA LUMPUR: Chief editors have lent their support to colleagues protesting restrictive moves imposed by Parliament authorities, saying the decision was an unnecessary hindrance and an insult to the press.
About 100 journalists covering Parliament staged a boycott Tuesday morning after they were denied access to the lobby. They refused to attend press conferences or take down statements, although they covered developments in the chamber.
The barrier was later removed by the Barisan Nasional Backbenchers Club (see Timeline below).
China Press editor-in-chief Teoh Yang Khoon said: “Reporters are never a security threat and we know where to draw the line in respecting the privacy of the Members of Parliament.
“For instance, we do not barge into areas meant for the MPs, nor do we trail the MPs into the toilet. Therefore, respect must also be shown to reporters. The restrictions are an insult,” he said.
The Star group chief editor Datuk Wong Chun Wai, in his chunwai08.blogspot entry titled Fast, Furious and Stupid in KL, said the decision had infuriated the media.
“It is unprecedented. The decision had left reporters stunned and certainly insulted,” said Wong.
New Straits Times Press Group editor-in-chief Datuk Hishamuddin Aun said reporters were carrying out their duties and would certainly be hurt if they were harassed or treated like second-class citizens.
“The management did not give instructions to reporters to boycott, but for the sake of unity, everyone (covering Parliament) agreed. The boycott is unfortunate and I sympathise with the reporters and photographers.
“Instead of totally cordoning off the lobby, perhaps the Parliament authorities can issue separate passes allowing for one or two reporters from each organisation to roam in the lobby,” said Hishamuddin.
When told that an aide of a minister had used the Malaysiakini team of three reporters as an example of a sufficiently strong team to cover news in Parliament, the online news portal’s co-founder Steven Gan, said: “I would have sent more staff if I could. We are missing stories but I do not have enough reporters.
“Parliament is a vibrant arena after the March 8 political tsunami and there is need for a larger team of journalists.”
Nanyang Siang Pau
“The restrictions are very sarcastic moves by the Parliament authorities. It does not show respect for the work of journalists, especially in Parliament, the epitome of democracy,” said Chong.
Sin Chew Daily executive editor-in-chief Kuik Cheng Kang said Parliament authorities were wrong to target the media because “the press had never done anything wrong to threaten the security since Independence”.
“There are many other groups of people crowding the lobby, such as ministry officers and lobby groups. Reporters are there to do our jobs, not celebrate birthdays. Please do not punish us for working,” said Kuik.
The Sun consultant editor Zainon Ahmad said the lobby was the best place for the press to get news from Ministers, MPs and other government servants.
Timeline
9.30am: Reporters arrived at Parliament lobby to discover that red tapes were used to cordon off the main part of the lobby and there were security guards around.
Reporters, photographers and camera crew were only allowed to at a small corner where press conferences used to be held. Lim Guan Eng (DAP-Bagan) was at lobby and spoke to reporters separated by the red tape.
Consensus reached among pressmen to boycott press conferences held at the lobby.
10.30am: When Salahuddin Ayub (PAS-Kubang Kerian) and Khalid Abd Samad (PAS-Shah Alam) expressed their intention to hold a press conference at the lobby, many refused to attend.
10.40am: Photographers, cameramen and journalists left their “working equipment” such as cameras, voice recorders and notebooks on the floor as a sign to stop covering news events at the lobby.
11.30am: After being told that all press members had suspended their work outside the Parliament chamber, Edward Jules, an aide of Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim said he respected them and would convey the information to his boss.
However, he returned a few minutes later with Dr Rais and held a press conference, which was only attended by a few official media such as Bernama and RTM.
Opposition MPs Lim Guan Eng (DAP-Bagan) and Tian Chua (PKR-Batu) decided to issue written statements through their aides instead of speaking directly to the press after realising that most reporters were going on “strike”.
But when Ipoh Timor MP special assistant Lim Swee Kuan wanted to distribute some press statements at the media centre, two security guards prevented him from doing so.
“They told me that staff like us are no longer allowed to give out statements and only MPs have the right to do so.
“I then asked them where the directive came from and they told me that ‘we have it in black and white’,” he said.
Noon: Lim Lip Eng (DAP-Segambut), Tian Chua (PKR-Batu), Nurul Izzah Anwar (PKR-Lembah Pantai), R. Sivarasa (PKR-Subang) and Jeff Ooi (DAP-Jelutong) were present at media centre to give their statements but the press told them that the ban is on.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s meeting at noon involving the Barisan Nasional management committee meeting held at the committee room was only covered by Bernama.
2.15pm: A group of Barisan Nasional backbenchers marched through the lobby and announced business as usual for all press members by removing all barricades that restricted the movements of reporters.
Barisan Nasional Backbenchers Club deputy chairman Datuk Bung Mokhtar Radin said they did not consult the Parliament administration, nor did they get permission from the Dewan Rakyat Speaker before removing the barricade.
Najib’s second meeting – the Cabinet committee on sports development – was also covered only by Bernama.
3pm: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s meeting on palm oil was covered only by Bernama.
3.30pm: Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Dr Ng Yen Yen, who sent two aides to the media centre to look for press coverage on her 100th day in the ministry, was told “No press coverage at the lobby.”
