Media ban

-
The Pas-led Kedah government became the second state under Pakatan
Rakyat to penalise the media for what it deemed as a manipulation of news.

A letter, signed by the press secretary to the menteri besar, said that certain
media organisations would be banned from covering the budget session of the
state assembly beginning tomorrow.

The Kedah move followed the banning of the New Straits Times from covering the
DAP-led Penang government functions and events, effective March last year.

The Penang ban on NST has not been lifted despite appeals from some of the
biggest names in Pakatan Rakyat, including DAP chairman Karpal Singh.

Kedah Gerakan Youth chief Tan Ken Liang described the Kedah action as censorship
and contrary to Pakatan Rakyat’s pledge to promote press freedom.

“The state assembly sitting is of public interest and every media house should
be allowed to attend and cover the meeting,” he said.

Yesterday, National Union of Journalists president Hata Wahari asked the Kedah
government to rescind the ban, announced in a letter dated Thursday and signed
by the press secretary, Muhamad Helmi Mohamad Khalid.

The letter said the state government would only allow Harakah, The Star, Sinar
Harian, Sin Chew Daily and Makkal Osai to cover the budget session which ends
on Tuesday.

This follows what the state government defined as manipulation of news and coverage directed against it.

Journalists said the letter was faxed to the bureau chiefs of all print and electronic media organisations based here.

Earlier in the week, journalists attending a press conference after the state executive councillors’ meeting on Wednesday were subjected to a reprimand by Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Azizan Abdul Razak.

The ban means all publications and networks under Media Prima Bhd, Utusan
Malaysia and Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) cannot cover the assembly sitting.

Hata said the NUJ was disappointed with the state government’s decision.

“It is irrational and unfair of the state government to pick on selected media
houses.

“It should not overreact to reports that are not favourable towards it.”
Hata said he would discuss the issue with Helmi.

“If the state government refuses to retract the letter, all media organisations must boycott the sitting as a sign of protest.”

Kedah Barisan Nasional Youth chief Badrul Hisham Hashim said Azizan should
not overreact.


Read more: Media ban http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/Mediaban/Article/#ixzz157cP5Doy

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Malaysia expects more than RM1.3 billion revenue from healthcare tourism in 2017

-
KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 20): Malaysia is expected to see a 16.07% growth in income from healthcare tourism to more than RM1.3 billion in 2017, from RM1.12 billion in 2016. In a Parliamentary written reply to Labuan’s lawmaker Datuk Rozman Isli, the Ministry of Tourism and Culture said in terms of tourist numbers, healthcare tourism is expected to bring in 996,000 travellers to Malaysia this year, an 8.08% growth from 921,500 in 2016. The Ministry noted that the overall economic impact from healthcare tourism last year including the hospitality industry was RM4 billion to RM5 billion. “Healthcare tourism [in Malaysia] showed a compounded annual growth rate of 16% from 2011 through 2016,” the Ministry said. Rozman requested the Ministry to reveal the tourist statistics for Malaysia's healthcare tourism from year 2013 to the second quarter of 2017.
Read more

Israel Dedah Rahsia Arab Saudi

-
Seorang menteri kabinet Israel mendedahkan bahawa Israel mempunyai hubungan rahsia dengan Arab Saudi, di tengah kebimbangan umum terhadap Iran, lapor Reuters. Pendedahan pertama kali itu dilakukan oleh seorang pegawai kanan daripada salah sebuah negara yang sudah lama bekerjasama dalam diam. Sementara itu, sehingga kini kerajaan Arab Saudi tidak memberi respons segera terhadap kenyataan Menteri Tenaga Israel, Yuval Steinitz berhubung pendedahan kontroversi berkenaan. "Kami mempunyai hubungan yang kebanyakannya dirahsiakan dari negara Islam dan Arab. Kebiasaannya kami berada di pihak yang tidak mahu berselindung," kata Steinitz. Manakala jurucakap Perdana Menteri Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu juga tidak memberi respons berhubung isu itu. Arab Saudi dan Israel dilaporkan melihat Iran sebagai ancaman utama kepada negara di rantau Asia Barat. Ketegangan yang kian memuncak antara Tehran dan Riyadh menyemarakkan lagi spekulasi Israel dan Arab Saudi berkongsi kepentingan ser
Read more

Trio assaulted for honking at cars

-
Three men were seriously injured after they were attacked for honking at two stalled cars in Jalan Genting Klang here. The incident occured at 5.30am yesterday when the victims, who were in a lorry, noticed a BMW and a Toyota Alphard moving haphazardly before stopping in the middle of the road. Sentul OCPD Asst Comm Zakaria Pagan said the lorry driver decided to honk at the two cars to the chagrin of the drivers who stormed out of their vehicles. The lorry driver sped off but the two cars caught up with the vehicle at a traffic light near Danau Kota. Ten suspects then alighted from the two cars and assaulted the three men with knives and wooden bats. ACP Zakaria said the victims, who sustained injuries to their head, hands and legs, were sent to a nearby clinic by some passers-by. The trio, aged between 25 and 48 years, were later transferred to Hospital Kuala Lumpur because of their serious condition. He urged those with information to contact the nearest police station.
Read more