A pro-media freedom lobby group has submitted a four-point memorandum of protest to RTM over its recent decision to pull a documentary off the air and to fire producer Chou Z Lam.

Its demands were that:

  • RTM should air all the remaining episodes of Chou’s television documentary
  • RTM should publicly affirm that it will adhere to standards of professionalism and fairness
  • RTM should terminate the services of Yap Shy Chuan, alleged to be a MCA member overseeing the Chinese-language programmes
  • Parliament should enact laws to ensure the impartiality of RTM as a public service broadcaster
NONE This morning, a five-member delegation led by 528 Media Action Group coordinator Ng Yp Hwa delivered the memo to Hafizal Hamad, special officer to RTM director-general at the main gate to Angkasapuri.

This followed negotiations with Supt Azri Abd Rahman of the Brickfields district police headquarters and other law enforcement personnel.

Some 100 masked supporters - mainly students and senior citizens - were present to back the protest by 528 Media Action Group, Writer's Alliance for Media Independence and Centre for Independent Journalism.

NONE Arriving in a bus and via the Komuter train service about 11am, they carried placards and a banner with slogans like ‘Free the media’ and ‘Stop political interference’.

An argument ensued after the memorandum was submitted. Azri insisted that the crowd should disperse despite their wish to brief reporters at the scene.

A banner was seized by police, but the protestors dispersed peacefully at about 11.15am.

Azri told reporters later that his orders were to observe and facilitate the submission of any memorandum and that he had been prepared to cooperate.

               

“But I will not have a demonstration here, they do not have a permit to hold a demonstration,” he stressed.

NONE A 50-strong mixed force of regular police and Light Strike Force personnel was deployed to the scene, alongside the Information Ministry's auxiliary police unit.

The three NGOs have organised a series of flash mobs across Kuala Lumpur to protest political interference in media operations.

This was sparked by revelations by ntv7 senior producer Joshua Wong, who then resigned.

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