All media are prohibited from publishing any photograph of the ailing former Sultan of Kelantan, Sultan Ismail Petra, with immediate effect, it was announced in Kota Baru today.     

The prohibition has been put in place by the Monitoring, Privileges and Security Committee, said Kelantan state secretary Dr Zainuddin Ibrahim, who chairs the committee.

He said the committee felt that it was inappropriate at this time for the media, including television, newspapers and other publications, and the Internet media, to publish any image of the former sultan.

"The directive has been consented to by the Sultan of Kelantan, Sultan Muhammad V," he told a news conference also attended by Kelantan police chief Jalaluddin Abdul Rahman, Raja Perempuan Zainab II Hospital director Dr Ghazali Hasni Md Hassan, Universiti Sains Malaysia (HUSM) Kubang Kerian Hospital specialist Prof Dr Wan Mohamad Wan Bebakar and Kelantan palace comptroller Ahmad Mahmood.

Zainuddin said the prohibition did not cover news on the former sultan which is assumed to have a positive impact and does not violate the ethics of journalism.

Bernama learnt that several newspapers had published photographs of the ailing Sultan Ismail Petra attending a banquet held in conjunction with the birthday of the Sultan of Kelantan in Kota Baru on Nov 11.

Zainuddin said the committee was informed that the former sultan is still receiving treatment and there has been some improvement in his health.

The committee, which was set up several years ago, also comprises Kelantan Health director Dr Nordianah Hassan, Kelantan Police deputy chief Mazlan Lazim and Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) Kubang Kerian Health Campus director Prof Dr Mafauzy Mohamed.

- Bernama