'Review selection of media allowed to cover next Parliament sitting'
KUALA LUMPUR: The National Union of Journalists Malaysia (NUJ) has urged the administration of Parliament to review its selection of media agencies allowed to cover its upcoming sitting and the tabling of the 2021 Budget.
NUJ president Farah Marshita Abdul Patah said this review was especially needed in order to include Malaysian online portals in the upcoming coverage.
In a statement issued today, she said local media portals should be given an equal voice and right on coverage for such events of national importance, as such a practice was in line with the principles of press freedom and transparency espoused by the government.
She was also responding to recent reports about Parliament's corporate communication unit only allowing in-house coverage for the upcoming sitting to 15 media agencies.
"The NUJ wants to emphasise that it is high time for media agencies not to have their respective directions steered by the government; because such actions will make the public feel that the media is still being stifled and controlled by the government and political parties.
"The selection of media covering any official event should be done in a balanced and just manner, to ensure that no one feels sidelined while carrying out their duties; and to ensure that freedom of the press is unobstructed.
"The NUJ is confident that if a large and well organised space is provided for media personnel, the standard operating procedures on safety and physical distancing procedures can be complied with and followed at all times.
"Thus, the NUJ once again wants to urge (the authorities) to review the selection of media covering the Third Meeting (of Parliament) and tabling of the 2021 Budget to allow more media agencies, especially local online portals to cover it," she said in a statement today, while adding that media workers are frontliners, and their duties include providing news reports on the ground.
A statement from Parliament's corporate communications unit on Friday stated that in-house media coverage for the Third Meeting of the Third Term of the 14th Parliament session will be limited to: Radio Television Malaysia (RTM), Bernama, TV Al-Hijrah, TV3, New Straits Times, Berita Harian, Astro Awani, Utusan Malaysia, Sinar Harian, The Star, The Sun, Sin Chew Daily, Nanyang Siang Pau, Malaysia Nanban and Channel News Asia. - NST
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