As I read Ng Yap Hwa's complaints about the statement by the president of the National Union of Journalists (as well as his diatribe about Utusan Malaysia and the Star ), I am reminded of the recent US White House confrontation with Fox News.

It is embarrassing that the secretary of the Selangor Pakatan Rakyat Elected Representatives Officers Association (Selproa) made poor excuses for his behaviour and it is more unfortunate still for him to suggest that Pakatan Rakyat should bar certain members of the press to future events.

I personally believe that both the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) and the Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) acted correctly in calling all parties to allow their fellow journalists to do their work.

If a reporter was approached (or singled out) by the host of a press conference and was told that his or her news organisation is not welcomed - phrased however calmly, discreetly, politely or sweetly even, it is still an 'invitation' to leave.

The question remains, of course, if this is Selproa's official stand or whether the secretary acted upon his own personal conviction. Shouldn't a policy be made (preferably decided upon consultatively) before it is enforced on the fly?

The letter by Ng in Malaysiakini showed no regrets of any kind really, and the Selproa secretary heaped scorn and abuse on NUJ, Utusan Malaysia and now, the Star, for misquoting him.

The logic, however, is a little amusing. Ng claimed that he told the Selproa president that they welcome the media but not propaganda machines. So, in Ng's eyes, Utusan Malaysia is probably the media but also definitely a propaganda machine, hence his careless whispers to Mr Yazid Alias.

He proceeded to challenge a journalist from the Star to provide an insight into his personal thoughts, asking the same journalist if what he has written was based on "his honest recollection" and to resign if Ng's own argument is proven correct.

Wouldn't it be easier to just sue the damn paper for defamation? After all, Ng is arguing that he didn't 'chase' the Utusan reporter out, he merely told him that he wasn't 'welcomed'.

Is it Ng's fault that Yazid is a little sensitive? He berated Edward Rajendran and the NUJ president for promoting a political agenda instead of upholding journalistic principles. Perhaps he missed the statement by Gayathry from CIJ who urged political parties not to restrict media access - "CIJ reiterates that any restriction upon media organisations to cover public events is unacceptable".

The CIJ's statement is right on the money as any attempts barring the media "from covering and reporting events and issues of public interest" should not be encouraged, regardless of which political party is doing it.

I will be the first to concur that our standards of journalism are probably not up to par.

However, it seems that Ng did not realise that he has damaged (and continues to insist on damaging), his political party's position on press freedom and independence.

Instead of reaching out to members of the press and fighting for the Printing Presses and Publications Act to be repealed, barring political parties and their proxies from media ownerships and protecting journalists from revealing whistleblowers and their sources, Selproa's secretary seems hell bent on boycotting Utusan Malaysia, which he called "a fascist instrument masquerading as a news provider". Even if it is true, this masquerade is still selling papers everyday!

If Pakatan Rakyat in Selangor decides to take up Ng's suggestions, then perhaps the others should stand to remember that weak, divided and preferential press coverage is exactly what we should avoid.

All media should be given the same access to public information, and the freedom (as well as backbone) to publish them so that a spectrum of perspectives can be obtained.

By alienating the journalists, especially the ones who were there on a job (whether for spin-doctoring or otherwise), Selproa has done itself and the state a huge disservice.