Gerakan has called on the Prime Minister's Department and the prime minister's wife Rosmah Mansor to explain accusations that they had intefered in ntv7's popular talkshow, Editor's Time which led to its senior producer Joshua Wong to resign.

Yesterday, Wong revealed that the show had first received a forwarded complaint in the form of an SMS from the Prime Minister's Department which contained racial overtones and another which was forwarded by Rosmah.

"Since their names had been mentioned by Wong, it was only fair that they should give their side of the story," said Gerakan secretary-general Teng Chang Yeow in a press statement today.

Teng who had participated in the show, called on the ntv7 management to provide an explanation.

rosmah mansor However, DAP stalwart Lim Kit Siang was less kind in his words, slamming Rosmah (left) for her alleged interference in public and government affairs.

"Is she acting as if she is the de facto Information Minister?" he said.

Lim in a press statement today stressed that Rosmah, as the prime minister's wife should not interfere in politics and public affairs unless she runs for office to obtain a proper mandate for her actions.

"She should not abuse and misuse her position and influence as the prime minister's wife to improperly intervene and interfere in government and public affairs," he added.

Expressing support for Wong, Lim said he fully agreed that the restrictions were completely unjustifiable and against the principles of fair and independent reporting.

Lim also criticised the Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak for not living up to his promise of a free press.

"The censorship of a popular ntv7 talk show is a flagrant violation of Najib's pledges on his assumption of the sixth premiership in the country," he said.

Ban on political discussions

Since the complaint, Wong also claimed that his proposals for the show, including bringing in DAP MP Tony Pua have been shot down, with threats to cease production.

NONE Plans to feature the current Hulu Selangor by-election were also bulldozed.

"At the end, there was an effective ban on political discussions, as well as featuring opposition leaders as guest speakers," he said.

Wong ( left ), have been a journalist with several Chinese dailies as well as the state-owned news agency RTM, before starting his stint in ntv7.

An investigative journalist, he shook the nation with his expose on a human trafficking ring of Burmese refugees run by Immigration Department officers as well as foreign nationals duped into slavery in a fishing village in Sarawak.

He also won an Anugerah Seri Angkasa in 2005 for his documentary on the urban poor in Kuala Lumpur, which was aired in the Mandarin 'Edisi Siasat'.

The show Editor's Time rakes in an average of 175,000 viewers every week.

Meanwhile, the Centre for Independent Journalism also joined Gerakan in the call for an explanation .

Communications and Publications officer Yip Wai Fong, who described the incident as "highly disturbing" , said that ntv7's action is unbefitting of a media whose role is to provide a forum for public criticism on issues of concern.

“ The media’s credibility and survival comes from the audience’s trust, which means that the media’s first loyalty is to citizens, not its owners,” Yip said.

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