IPOH, May 3 – All media organisations will be allowed to cover the proceedings of the Perak State Assembly sitting on May 7.
The decision was made by Perak State Assembly Speaker Speaker V. Sivakumar. In a statement issued here today, he said media organisations were required to submit written applications to the Speaker’s Office at Level 2, Bangunan Perak Darul Ridzuan from 9am tomorrow.
“I’ll issue the permission letters to the media organisations at my own discretion, as provided for under the Perak State Assembly Standing Order 84,” he added.
Sivakumar said he was issuing the ruling to safeguard the principles of democracy and freedom of the press.
“There is no reason to bar any media organisations from covering the sitting. The people have the right to know the antics of their elected representatives during the State Assembly sitting,” he added.
Prior to this, the Perak Information Department, in a letter dated April 30, stated that only 13 media organisations would be allowed to cover the sitting. They are RTM, BernamaTV, TV3, The Star, The New Straits Times, Berita Harian, Utusan Malaysia, China Press, Sin Chew Daily, Nanyang Siang Pau, Tamil Nanban, Tamil Nesan and Bernama.
Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir is expected to call for a press conference tomorrow to clarify the matter. – Bernama
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