Two former MCA presidents have expressed surprise over the MCA central committee decision to bar Malaysiakini from covering its annual general meeting, describing the move as “childish” and “unprecedented”.

 

Former MCA president Dr Chua Soi Lek said when he was MCA president, he did not stop the media from attending party functions despite getting unfavourable coverage from them at times.

 

“It was wrong not to invite ( Malaysiakini )... Even if Malaysiakini doesn’t report (the AGM), others will report it,” he said when contacted.

 

“Moreover, now we have Facebook, (so) you cannot ban anyone from reporting.”

 

Asked if the fear of unfavourable coverage justifies the refusal to issue an invitation, Chua said leaders must know how to make newsworthy statements and not run away from the media.

 

“This is childish. You need to allow media to have freedom to do their reports.

 

“Maybe sometimes Malaysiakini prefers to write ‘opposition news’, but this (is its) freedom, just like readers have their freedom to decide whether to read the news or not,” he said.

 

Nevertheless, Chua stressed that the media should be responsible in their coverage.

 

MCA yesterday resolved “not to invite” Malaysiakini to cover its annual general meeting, scheduled for next weekend.

 

Secretary-general Ong Ka Chuan said the decision was made by the party’s central committee at its meeting.

 

‘You can’t slam DAP and do this’

 

Meanwhile another former president Ong Tee Keat, when contacted by Malaysiakini, said the move by the party was “unprecedented”.

 

“During my time in MCA, I never stopped any media from covering the news.”

 

“Even during the general elections, I allowed and invited (state-owned newspaper) Selangor Times to cover my constituency’s press conference.”

 

Concurring, former MCA vice-president Gan Ping Sieu called on the central committee to review its decision even if not all news reports are favourable to MCA.

 

Gan, who lost to Liow Tiong Lai in a tight race for the president’s post last year, said MCA cannot disinvite some media and “feel disgusted with the way DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng pressured the media.”

 

"I don’t agree with the call by Pakatan Rakyat to ban some media and the same time disagree with the way BN treats the media too."