In a move toward openness in the state-owned media, the government has encouraged Bernama TV to cover all party congresses, including those of non-BN parties.

NONE "I instructed Bernama TV to seek permission from the DAP to cover its central executive committee re-election,” Communications and Multimedia Minister Ahmad Shabery Cheek told the Dewan Rakyat last night.

"In fact, I had no objections for the broadcast of (PAS president) Abdul Hadi Awang's speech during the last muktamar."

Winding up the committee-level debate on the 2014 Budget, he said that when RTM has more channels "in two or three years’ time", the government may even broadcast parliamentary debates ‘live’.

This would be on top of the current ‘live’ unedited broadcasts of parliamentary debates on RTM's website, he said.

"You want a dedicated channel, no problem ... I have convinced my friends here that it is not a problem," he said.

He added he has also proven to his colleagues that such ‘live’ coverage has had little impact on the outcome of by-elections.

azlan "In fact it is beneficial to the government, as people will see how the government has managed to answer questions posed here," he said.

He added that the government has never before adopted such an open approach, “ not even when the Opposition Leader was in the government - it is only now that you see this".

To a question on funding of films, Shabery urged the opposition to make its own film on the Black 505 rally - a series of protests to protest the outcome of the 13th general election conducted on May 5 this year.

"Do this film on deception of the masses ... The opposition is very good at creating fiction," he quipped.