PARLIAMENT Dewan Rakyat speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia today made a ruling banning media members from stationing themselves at the hallway outside the Dewan Rakyat.

The ruling which takes immediate effect was made citing the security of lawmakers from both sides of the political divide.

Pandikar claimed that some lawmakers, himself included, were not comfortable with reporters' presence in the hallway.

The hallway is the place where the media stationed themselves to doorstop lawmakers.

"I saw for myself that they sit everywhere, as though the hallway (ruang legar) was a picnic area," he said.

He cited Section 94 of the Standing Order, which granted the speaker to give permission for certain parties to stay at specific areas in the House.

Pandikar said the media personnel should only stay at the press centre or media gallery.

"If the media representative violate the standing order, then I will withdraw the permission (for them to stay at the Parliament)," he added.

"Other parliaments are not like (the Parliament in) Malaysia where the minister will be interviewed once they step out of the House," he said.

Pandikar, however said the arrangement was temporary and he would reconsider his ruling from time to time.

Five minutes after that, parliament security officers approached the media and asked them to leave.

Umno minister Nazri Abdul Aziz expressed his support for the ruling as he was shocked by the way the media sought his comment.

"I am very supportive of the ruling because I was shocked twice, the first time after I came out (from the House) after I answered the questions, they abushed me.

"The second time, I came out from the toilet and before I was able to zip up (my pants) they ambushed me again," he said.

In 2008, Dewan Rakyat made the same ruling and cordoned off the Parliament lobby area, which resulted in 100 journalists staging a boycott for press conferences to be held at the lobby area.

The House later withdrew its decision.

In a press conference later, Nazri proposed to allocate a corner of the Parliament hallway as a venue for press conferences.

He said he would bring up the issue at the cabinet meeting and speak with the prime minister and Pandikar.

With this, he said, the media would not be able to "ambush" ministers and lawmakers who chose not to be approached by the journalists, when they come out from the Dewan Rakyat.

"You must understand, as a minister, there are thing we don't want you to ambush us, just like Kim Jong-nam issue," he said.

"Do not think only the press want politicians only, there are times we need you too. It is not a one-sided affair, it is a love and hate affair," he sad.