KUALA LUMPUR, Mar 22 – Journalists are not a security threat to ministers or MPs, Tourism and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Nazri Abdul Aziz said today. He said he will raise the matter in the Cabinet meeting and will propose to allow media to be stationed at one corner of the lobby to do their work.
“The security threat was not meant for you all (the media), it was meant for outsiders who join in to ambush the ministers or MPs. These are people who take advantage of the situation and approach parliamentarians,” Nazri said. Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia earlier today made a ruling that no media will be allowed at the lobby area to do reporting or approach ministers or MPs.
However, Nazri said the ruling is only to prohibit media from ambushing ministers or MPs. “I was shocked when I came out (of the washroom) to see so many people waiting to ambush me. But if you all stay (at one corner), this (rostrum) can be placed there.
“There are times when we seek the media’s assistance to voice out our views. So, I think that is the best place. It will be very convenient not just for the media but also MPs,” he said. Nazri walked down to the newly-built media room located far behind and one floor below the Dewan Rakyat, where all journalists have been ordered to stay to do Parliament reporting.
“Now I can feel the problem the journalists face when they want to attend a press conference. When I want to do press conference I have to be dragged half a kilometre down to the media room to do it,” he said. Nazri said if the media is stationed at a corner of the lobby, it will not just prevent the media from ambushing but will also allow the MPs and ministers the space to walk away if they do not want to meet the media.
