KUCHING, March 19 — The Federal Communications and Multimedia Ministry is to ask Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) Sarawak to explain an allegation that it is prohibited from providing coverage of events of the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) state government.

The ministry’s deputy secretary-general (policy), Shakib Ahmad Shakir, said today the ministry had no knowledge of this.

"As for the ministry, we are not aware of this issue. We will specifically ask RTM Sarawak to come out with an explanation on this issue,” he told reporters after launching a briefing on cybercrime prevention and anti-human trafficking at the P. Ramlee Auditorium, RTM Kuching, here.

Communications and Multimedia Minister Gobind Singh Deo reiterated recently that the ministry had not issued any directive or guideline to RTM on providing coverage in opposition-held states.

The matter of coverage came up again yesterday when Sarawak Tourism, Culture, Arts, Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah criticised RTM for not covering the press conference announcing the 117th Malaysian Amateur Open Golf Championships scheduled to be held from June 18 to 23.

He had said that it is understandable if RTM had not covered a press conference on GPS politics but this was about a golf tournament. — Bernama