Media will be allowed to cover July Parliament sitting - report
Reporters will be allowed to return to Parliament next month to provide coverage for the Dewan Rakyat’s July sitting, according to a report.
However, the Parliament building’s corridors - once a fertile ground for doorstop interviews with the country’s elected representatives - will be a much quieter place.
Reporters will be allowed to return to Parliament next month to provide coverage for the Dewan Rakyat’s July sitting, according to a report.
However, the Parliament building’s corridors - once a fertile ground for doorstop interviews with the country’s elected representatives - will be a much quieter place.
According to a report by Sinchew Daily today, Dewan Rakyat Speaker Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof said reporters will be required to adhere to safety precautions when they return.
“The media have been allowed to cover the parliamentary sitting, but must adhere to safety precautions.
“Reporters and photographers must undergo Covid-19 tests at their own expense, and wear face mask throughout the entire duration of the coverage at Parliament,” he was quoted as saying.
He added that each media outlet will be limited to sending one reporter and one photographer, compared to a total of three photographers and reporters before the Covid-19 pandemic hit.
In addition, they will be confined to the media room and will not be allowed to conduct interviews in the Parliament’s corridors, he was quoted as saying.
In the Dewan Rakyat’s last sitting on May 18, only official media were allowed to cover the sitting, while other media outlets relied on live streams of the session to report on its proceedings.
Currently, the Dewan Rakyat is scheduled to convene its second sitting of the year for 25 days from July 13 to Aug 27.
Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad had previously submitted a motion of no confidence against Muhyiddin Yassin’s premiership, but the motion was not debated during the May 18 sitting.
Mahathir has reportedly said that he is hopeful that the motion will be tabled in the coming sitting.
The government is also expected to table the Covid-19 (Temporary Measures) Bill in the July sitting, which will provide relief for certain contractual obligations.
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