KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 12 — The Centre For Independent Journalism (CIJ) has urged the Election Commission (EC) to reconsider its decision to bar non-official media from entering nomination centres, as happened in Sabah earlier today.

CIJ executive director Wathshlah G. Naidu also urged the EC to allow all media personnel and journalists to enter the vote-tallying centres when Sabahans go to the polls on September 26.

"Because the public has a right to know what transpired and be able to form their own opinion based on multiple sources of information, and any censorship and control of media platforms by the government will create an information vacuum,” she said in a statement here today.

The EC, in a statement, had said that only official government media RTM, Bernama, the Information Department and National Film Development Corporation Malaysia were allowed to enter nomination centres for the Sabah state election.

This is in line with the implementation of the standard operating procedure to prevent the spread of Covid-19 and to ensure the safety of all parties, including media partners, it said. — Bernama