RTM2
 
 
 producer Chou Z Lam has been terminated from the TV station, following his damning allegations of political interference over popular current affairs programme 'Galeri Mandarin Nasional'.


 After clocking in to work this morning, Chou was told by RTM human resources director Mohd Shafiq Abdullah that his one-year contract with the government-owned TV station would be terminated effective today.


 <img align="left" alt="flash mob read newspaper upside down 020510 chou z lam" height="281" src="https://i.malaysiakini.com/256/fc622b3831414ae34569db38e009d631.jpg" width="200"/>
 "Shafiq said that my contract was terminated immediately due to budget constraints. He was polite and thanked me for my contributions," said Chou told
 
 Malaysiakini
 
 .


 Following this, Chou said he had to surrender his RTM employee tag to Shafiq, who then instructed two police officers to escort him to collect his effects before showing him the door.


 Chou said that his contract was to expire only next January, but the terms stipulated that his services can be terminated at any time without compensation.


 Asked if his termination is related to his expos
 
 
 
 
 
 &eacute; over political interference, Chou replied: "I'm absolutely positive about it".
 
 
 
 
 


 
 
 Negative impact
 
 


 
 
 
 
 
 Chou is the producer of a nine-part documentary on the negative impact of the Bakun Dam on the indigenous people of Sarawak who have been displaced from their land.
 
 
 
 
 


 The documentary was to appear in 'Galeri Mandarin Nasional' between April 26 to May 7, but only two parts were aired before RTM bosses
 <a href="http://malaysiakini.com/letters/130435" target="_blank">
 
 pulled the plug
 
 </a>
 .


 Chou alleged on his blog that the documentary was taken off the air because RTM top officials believed that it would be detrimental to Barisan Nasional's campaign for the ongoing Sibu by-election.


 He argued that the move made Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's 1Malaysia concept hollow because the plight of the indigenous people were being suppressed from the mainstream audience.


 RTM and the Information Ministry have both
 <a href="http://malaysiakini.com/news/131041" target="_blank">
 
 denied
 
 </a>
 Chou's allegations.


 
 Related story:
 


 
 
 
 
 
 <a href="http://malaysiakini.com/news/130754" target="_blank">
 
 A ghost in RTM?
 
 </a>

<img align="left" alt="NONE" height="64" src="http://mk-cdn.mkini.net/259/ef61bab420aed5b32364baa27fd885f3.gif" width="64"/>
A RTM2 producer has been sacked after he alleged that there was political interference over a Bakun dam documentary.

RTM axe whistleblower Chou

~RM12

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