Reporters Barred From Parliament Lobby, Boycotted Press Conferences - Bernama

KUALA LUMPUR, June 24 (Bernama) -- For the first time in Parliament's history, reporters were barred from the Parliament lobby Tuesday.

To counter the move, members of the media showed their solidarity by boycotting all press conferences held at Parliament, include those by the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister.

The media personnel took such a bold step to express their unhappiness at the "unfriendly ruling" by Parliament's management.

As a result, two press conferences by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and one by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi were only covered by the Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama), Radio Televisyen Malaysia, TV3, Berita Harian and foreign wires personnel.

The media representatives, who were covering the second day meeting of the second meeting of the first session of the 12th Parliament, were informed that they would only be allowed to be at one corner of the lobby which has been designated for news conferences.

No statement was issued by Parliament's administration on this new ruling earlier, nor was the any verbal instructions. Only barriers were put up with signages stating that reporters were not allowed to be in the areas.

The only statement received by the media from the Parliament administration was on Friday to inform of a new ruling limiting only five reporters from each media organisations to cover Parliament proceedings due to security reasons.

Several member of Parliaments, from the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) and also opposition, who symphatised with the media tried to get Parliament to withdraw the ban but failed.

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