KUALA LUMPUR, July 24 — Dewan Rakyat Speaker Datuk Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof warned media personnel today that they may be restricted from the Parliament lobby if they insisted on questioning MPs everywhere in the area.

Mohamad Ariff said the new Parliament administration under the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government has agreed to grant journalists access to the Dewan Rakyat lobby, compared to the previous administration under the then-Barisan Nasional (BN) government that barred media workers from the lobby. 

“However, I was informed that the approval for the media to stay at a special area in the Dewan Rakyat lobby has caused problems because of the actions of a few media outlets,” Mohamad Ariff told a briefing for news editors in Parliament here.

“My deputies and I are very optimistic about allowing the media to remain in the Dewan Rakyat lobby. However, without the good cooperation of the media, we are afraid that these good improvements will have to be withdrawn one day if the media continues to ignore rules and instructions by insisting on conducting interviews and asking questions outside the allocated area,” he added. 

The new Parliament administration’s temporary rulings that took effect last Wednesday include creating a special space in the Dewan Rakyat lobby for journalists to conduct interviews or ask MPs questions, and a room for press conferences behind the MPs’ lounge on the same floor.

The special spot for media to doorstop MPs is on the right in the red tape area, near the door of the Chamber of the Dewan Rakyat used by government MPs. — Picture by Boo Su-Lyn
The special spot for media to doorstop MPs is on the right in the red tape area, near the door of the Chamber of the Dewan Rakyat used by government MPs. — Picture by Boo Su-Lyn

After previous Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia banned media personnel from the Parliament lobby in March 2017, the press had been restricted to a media room a floor below the lobby.

Mohamad Ariff asked for time today to decide whether to retain or to change the previous rulings.

“There are some who still wait for members of parliament in front of the door of the House and ask questions and conduct interviews outside the allocated space,” he said.

“This has caused the atmosphere in the Dewan Rakyat lobby to return to the previous atmosphere that had caused the prohibitions against the media from being at the Dewan Rakyat lobby in the first place.”

The Dewan Rakyat Speaker claimed that no other country allowed journalists to sit as they liked in the lobbies of their parliaments.

He added that the Parliament administration also have a responsibility to MPs, government officials, and visitors.

“Plus, Parliament also receives foreign guests almost every day. The chaotic and uncontrolled atmosphere in the Dewan Rakyat lobby will surely affect the image of Malaysia’s Parliament and of the country in general.

“Besides that, the issue of the safety and comfort of members of parliament must always be protected and defended throughout the proceedings of the House.”

Some journalists asked Mohamad Ariff to consider moving the media space in the Parliament lobby closer to the stairs leading to the building’s exit, away from the current location that was close to the door of the Chamber of the Dewan Rakyat used by government MPs, but far from the door used by Opposition lawmakers.

The room for official press conferences behind the MPs’ lounge is considered too far away for reporters who want to question lawmakers if the latter do not hold press conferences.

The newly-appointed Speaker told the media today to send his office their proposals.