English daily New Straits Times and its editor-in-chief Kalimullah Hassan were scrutinised in Parliament today over their professionalism and work ethics.

Unhappy and annoyed MPs from both sides of the Dewan Rakyat took about two hours to debate about media professionalism, focusing on the NST and its chief editor after BN Backbenchers' Club chairperson Shahrir Abdul Samad (BN-Johor Bahru) brought up the matter.

Debating on the Members of Parliament (Remuneration) (Amendment) Bill 2005, Shahrir said he was irked by the news report and commentaries, which were published in the NST last week.

He said last Thursday's report entitled ' Humiliated MPs attack NST - DAP's Kit Siang leads with supports from BN members ' made him "very sad and disappointed".

The report was accompanied by the photographs of four MPs - Lim Kit Siang (DAP-Ipoh Timur), Ronald Kiandee (BN-Beluran), Mat Yasir Ikhsan (BN-Sabak Beram) and Badruddin Amirudin (BN-Jerai) - and they were depicted as the 'untouchables'.

"Who said the MPs were humiliated?" he asked, adding that the word 'rampage' used in the article to describe the incident was incorrect as it could also mean 'running amok'.

"Why was the objective of using such a word? Was it the writer's idea or the NST's ?" demanded a furious Shahrir.

Editor taken to task

He also took NST chief Kalimullah to task and questioned his professionalism for writing that the BN MPs were involved in a 'conspiracy' with Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang to attack the paper.

"I want to advise Kalimullah... if you want to write something about an incident, please come and see whether the incident has taken place. But he (Kalimullah) was not at the meeting," he said referring to the latter's commentary , which quoted him (Shahrir) as criticising NST and its editors for allegedly publishing incorrect reports at a BN pre-council meeting held early this year.

Shahrir explained that at the pre-council meeting, he had asked Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi why NST was creating public sentiment against MPs.

"Kalimullah should not have written that there was a conspiracy with the opposition leader to attack NST, " he said of last week's report.

Then in a tone peppered with sarcasm, he questioned Kalimullah's credibility as a chief editor, asking "who chose him as chief editor ... did he go through an interview?".

Shahrir added that as a politician and MP, he was aware of the tough job of a journalist but "that does not mean the journalist can write with 'certain interests' in mind".

Where is professionalism?

When Teresa Kok (DAP-Seputeh) asked whether the issue was played up to boost the decreasing circulation of NST , Shahrir said "on one hand, they said MPs are irrelevant but on the other hand, they like to write about us."

"Reporters don't have to take oath, they can write whatever they want. But don't use MPs as a mechanised product to achieve other motives," he said.

Asked by Dr James Dawos Mamit (BN-Mambong) if journalists, especially those in NST , have followed its professional code of ethics, Shahrir said "although the current administration is more open, it (code of ethics) should also not be taken for granted".

Donald Peter Mojuntin (BN-Penambang) also questioned the professionalism of the media lamenting that "there seems to be a lack of intelligent journalistic analysis".

Parliamentary Opposition Leader Lim, who has written a lengthy rebuttal to the NST reports, is expected to continue the debate on the matter tomorrow.

Last Wednesday in Parliament, Lim had called attention to a commentary in NST written by the newspaper's senior editor Zainul Arrifin column, ' Our MPs are not ready for prime-time TV '.

He wanted to highlight the "deplorable" comments made by some BN MPs, which had brought the House into disrepute.

His action was grossly misrepresented by the NST in its front-page report the next day, which was accompanied by a commentary by Kalimullah, entitled ' Column was fair comment '.

This has led to an irate Lim to demand Kalimullah to publish the opposition leader's rebuttal on NST's front-page as well as an apology but this was ignored by the newspaper. Instead a report based incompletely on Lim's letter appeared on page 4 of the tabloid's Friday edition.