Journalists cordoned off, in Parliament... ( 2 )
UPDATED VERSION, 08:00am June 25, 2008. I saw and I heard from my vantage point as a Member of Parliament on HOW the Press Corp was treated as potential triggers for security issues in the country's supreme building for law-making.
Picture courtesy New Malaysia at chunwai08.blogspot.com
Whoever that ordered the sanction against the Press Corp citing security as a rationale is plain stupid. Let's find out WHO had ordered that recipe for perfect blunders in the Parliament.
First of all, Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department in charge of Parliament affairs, stated that he was not involved in this decision. So, Rocky may have to take a new perspective contrary to what he blogged this morning. But, as a caveat, do check with this anonymous MP who thinks otherwise.
The fact is, this morning, I heard words in the august chamber of the Parliament, aghast, but they will be recorded in the Hansard.
Very much as I had wanted to wait out the release of today's Hansard for official record, a report in Malaysiakini may help us point to the real culprits -- the Speaker and his two Deputies. Quote:
Deputy speaker Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar, who was presiding over the parliamentary sitting this morning, said the decision
(to cut media access to the building’s lobby and barricaded the area) had been made by the speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia and another deputy speaker Ronald Kiandee collectively.
My colleagues from Bagan, Ipoh Timur and Batu Gajah spoke against it in the Parliament but they were given a lecture by the Speaker instead. Quote:
“Since when Bagan (Guan Eng) and Batu Gajah (Fong) are interested to become the editors?” he asked. “How do we know whether those showing the press tag are indeed journalists?”
Last Friday, the Parliament administration issued a notice to all media informing them that they could only send up to five journalists per organisation of the print media to cover the ongoing session. The rationale cited was also due to security consideration.
Later today, I was further told that aides and press secretaries to MPs have now been subjected to stringent security rule -- they are no longer allowed to distribute press statements on behalf of their YBs in the media room. Only MPs will now be allowed to do the despatch job.
Corridors of Power... Power of Corridors
With the journalists cordoned off, the number of journalists per media organisation restricted, and the MPs' aides forbidden to do their press relations job, the Parliament administrators allowed people who have no direct business in legislature -- Umno lobbyists, non-governmental organisations and non-governmental individuals, and contractors of all possible kinds -- to roam freer than the Press Corp.
Even politicians who lost in the GE2008 are seen almost daily when the Parliament sits. One such person is Huan Cheng Guan (far right in the picture, left), the former MP for Batu Kawan replaced as a candidate by Dr Koh Tsu Koon (standing in the middle, picture left).
Huan is a known member of Gerakan who aspires to be its new state chief for Penang in the near future. For now, despite not being an elected MP, he has the privilege of using the lounge cafeteria reserved for members of parliament. Is his Parliamentary association after GE2008 licensed by Kerishamuddin and endorsed by the acting Gerakan president, one wonders.
The crux of the matter is, how is the likes of Huan more important and relevant than the Press Corp when it comes to Parliamentary matters? Is the Parliament a place for people who paved the corridors of power, and the Press must be relegated and be damned?
Looking back at the repeated snafus in a spade of days, is the BN government feeling so besieged that they are not sure of getting good press nowadays, and the journalists on the Parliament beat must be beaten to the cordon?
The behaviour tells.
The Press Must Speak Up
So, what have we here? Even cool head like Chun Wai also calls it STUPID. Quote:
The lobby has now been condoned off, like some emergency area, a stupid act which has infuriated the media. It is unprecedented. The decision has left reporters stunned and certainly insulted.
Meanwhile, editors of major newspapers are up in arms. They include The Star group chief editor Wong Chun Wai, China Press editor-in-chief Teoh Yang Khoon, Sin Chew Daily executive editor-in-chief Kuik Cheng Kang, New Straits Times Press Group editor-in-chief Hishamuddin Aun, and The Sun consultant editor Zainon Ahmad.
Tonight's evening edition of Sin Chew, whose daily circulation is the biggest among the Chinese press in Malaysia, ran its frontpage banner headline in black -- a departure from the usual red -- mourning the encroachment of media freedom.
Read the timeline that evolved at the Parliament today, here.
And Malaysian Insider has an analysis of the whole shebang. Quote:
Already on the ropes despite having a majority, the Parliament decision will add pressure on Abdullah who has been stymied by Cabinet, party and civil service intransigence and apathy over his reform agenda for the executive and judiciary and to allow the legislature and media more latitude in their business.
That latitude has allowed parliament officials to trade freedom for security. In the current face-off with the media, the winner is the one adjusted to the new reality.
Need I say more? Hang them to dry, man.
Comments
One of the main reason to restrict reporter access is because of the negative publicity that the MPs of the government has been getting. So the solution is do something to provoke the press... then the press will protest... then no coverage/very limited coverage... then you can say more things without using your brain and no one in public will know about it.
On the quote “How do we know whether those showing the press tag are indeed journalists?”, hah! This is a very funny statement. How do we know the driver is indeed a driver? How do we know the person cleaning the toilet is indeed a toilet cleaner? How do we know the person wearing suite is indead an MP? If you cannot verify journalist with the tag provided by yourself, then throw away all the tag ok. What is the use of spending so much money on security when you yourself don't have confidence in them. This quote is an insult to the Parliment's Security team.
Posted by: gcweng![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.jeffooi.com/nav-commenters.gif)
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June 25, 2008 07:32 AM
Is Malaysia's parliament really that insecure. To be frightened of the very same people who elected them?
Posted by: man.vvip![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.jeffooi.com/nav-commenters.gif)
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June 25, 2008 11:28 AM
“no entry to parliament for “MEDIA” on the ground of safety”
is tat a joke of the day in parliament...........
if the media pose a threat to security why allow media into parliament to cover q & a proceedings in previous sittings ? must well i suggest the authorities disallow all media companies to exist........close down star , nstp , utusan , malay mail , borneo post , daily express , nanyang press , sin chew press & etc , ban foreign newspapers from flooding malaysian market……when ministers had news to announce to the whole country , must well make use of television & radio to announce.....as media's presence to cover the announcement may pose a threat to them , since media is a threat must well disallow all courses related to media to be taught in varsities & faculty…..haiz….if media is a threat then i think internet should also be banned in m’sia ,as internet is where we could get plentiful source of news worldwide.....if media is a threat i think they should also disallow astro to broadcast BBC , CNBC , CCTV , CNN , bloomberg & etc to all malaysian viewers……by tat time local reporters may have to find jobs outside malaysia……sad sad sad...even parliament speaker doesn't have confidence in their parliament's security team , if parliament's security team can't even identify who is journalist , who's not , would they anyhow issue a pass & let reporters get through their security checkpoint ? oh jesus christ.........
Posted by: kent![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.jeffooi.com/nav-commenters.gif)
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June 25, 2008 08:19 PM