Malaysiakini was asked to leave the media room of the Umno annual general assembly for not possessing press passes issued by the party’s secretariat.

malaysiakini kicked out from Umno AGM 2010 regina Its team of eight journalists were told they were not allowed to use media room facilities by one of the secretariat’s officers.

This was despite being told that Umno secretary-general Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor had promised Malaysiakini press passes during an exclusive interview on Oct 5.

“Anyone without tags are not allowed in the media centre,” said the officer, adding that Malaysiakini was also barred from entering any of the halls where the assembly is taking place.

NONE The officer claimed that his orders came directly from the party secretary-general.

Following the eviction, four auxiliary police officers were stationed outside the media room to ensure that only those with press tags are permitted to go inside.

Khairy to look into the matter

Efforts to contact Tengku Adnan had been futile, but Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin said on Twitter that he would look into the matter.

When approached by reporters later, he said he had spoken to Tengku Adnan and will be bringing up the matter at the Umno supreme council meeting later tonight.

"It has something to do with what happened with the Malaysian Insider at a Puteri Umno function recently," he said.

In a Sept 27 article, a female reporter for the Insider news portal had gone undercover for a closed-door Puteri Umno briefing after which she quoted a Biro Tata Negara (National Civic Bureau) assistant director as allegedly using derogatory and racial slurs.

The media room facilities includes tables, monitors with the assembly proceedings and electrical sockets required to file reports.

NONE Malaysiakini had been using such facilities for several years without interruption despite being denied media passes upon each application.

No reason was given by Umno for the rejection of the media passes.

Its reporters are currently filing reports sitting on the floor of one of Putra World Trade Centre’s many hallways.

Several journalists from other online news portals have also been

barred from the media centre.

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