KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 26 — Reversing a previous closed-door ruling, Umno secretary-general Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor said today media organisations can now cover the party’s proceedings next month, just like in previous years “because we are the backbone to the government”.

Two days ago, Tengku Adnan said Umno’s general assembly will be off-limits to media organisations to prevent “spinning”.

“We won’t stop the press we will allow the media to give coverage do not worry. We will allow the media to cover the assembly because we are the backbone to the government,” he said in an interview session here with several media organisations.

Tengku Adnan added however that the usual restrictions will apply to online media, adding that news portals will not be allowed to cover the proceedings inside the assembly halls.

He said that the party was also mulling on barring state-owned news portals and bloggers as well.

“We will restrict, we will restrict even more. Like I mentioned bloggers from states we will monitor them. If there is a need we will restrict them as well,” he said, when asked if the usual restrictions on news portals still applied.

But he said everyone will still be able to view the proceedings via television feeds outside the assembly halls.

“Some grassroots have voiced their concerns that they came very far to hear the debates and speeches.

“So we will either have live feed or delayed feed of the proceedings,” Tengku Adnan said.

Yesterday, the Umno secretary-general said the party has yet to decide on whether to open its general assembly this year for media coverage.

When approached by reporters on the issue in Parliament, Tengku Adnan said Umno will open its doors to the media if they knew how to “behave” themselves.

“If you behave yourself, I can behave myself; I can open it to all of you,” the federal minister said.

Last year’s Umno general assembly saw controversial remarks from party leaders, including a Wanita Umno leader who alleged that a Chinese had burned a copy of the Quran. Police investigations showed later that the Muslim holy book was actually torn, not burned, by a mentally ill person.

Tengku Adnan’s statement comes amid the controversies over state-owned investment firm 1Malaysia Development Berhad and the RM2.6 billion deposited in Umno president and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s accounts in 2013.