KUALA LUMPUR: The Dewan Rakyat has been urged to lift its ruling of barring the New Straits Times, the nation's oldest newspaper, from covering the upcoming Parliament sitting which begins next week.
Social activist Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye said it was unfathomable to consider that the NST, a media organisation with 176 years of history, being denied access to Parliament which it has so well covered all these years.
Those who had imposed the ruling, which also affects a host of other news organisations both traditional and social, owe an explanation to their regular subscribers and readers, he added.
"Health issues may be the reason for reducing the number of media personnel. But, surely this can be addressed with compliance to all safety precautions adopted by Parliament and the implementation of basic standard operating procedures like wearing face masks, maintaining social distancing and others.
"The absence of any justification or rationale will give rise to questions related to fairness and logic.
"At a time when important events like Parliamentary sessions are taking place, it is in the public interest that what goes on in Parliament must be extensively covered by as many media as possible.
"It is hoped that this ruling will be rescinded immediately and NST be allowed to resume its coverage and discharge its responsibility to the people," said Lee in a statement today.
In a statement yesterday, Dewan Rakyat Speaker Datuk Azhar Azizan Harun announced that only 16 media agencies were allowed to cover the upcoming sitting from inside Parliament grounds, with no reasons given for the arbitrary move.
This is the first time in the NST's history that it is being denied entry onto Parliament grounds for a Dewan Rakyat sitting.
Media organisations allowed to cover the Parliament sitting include government media agencies RTM, Bernama, the Information Department and Finas.
Other agencies allowed to enter Parliament are TV3, Astro Awani, Berita Harian, Sinar Harian, The Star, The Sun, Sin Chew Daily, Nanyang Siang Pau, Malaysia Nanban, AFP, Malaysiakini and Malaysia Now.
Media groups then called for Azhar to state his stance for barring certain media from the upcoming sitting.
Gerakan Media Merdeka (Geramm) said the move should be clarified as it was detrimental to the freedom of the press, especially at a time when the top leadership are talking about institutional reforms and good governance.
National Union of Journalists (NUJ) general secretary Chin Sung Chew described the restriction as double standards and if Covid-19 was the reason, then all media should cover it virtually while access given only to official media.