KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 21 ― Communications and Multimedia Minister Gobind Singh Deo insisted today that state agencies, RTM and Bernama, are free to choose their editorial direction despite being placed under Putrajaya's purview.
After a minister's aide's complaint against broadcaster RTM, the minister said both outfits can decide for themselves their editorial slant and what sort of reports they wish to carry.
“RTM is an agency that comes within the purview of my ministry, likewise Bernama.
“But there is no restriction on what it is they report,” Gobind said after a meet-the-press event held by the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam).
Despite that, veteran newsman Datuk A. Kadir Jasin in a dialogue session during the event said the federal government “has a right” over RTM and Bernama as the owner.
Gobind had earlier said RTM was not in breach of its standard operating procedures when it omitted “live” coverage of Transport Minister Anthony Loke’s speech and that of the Negri Sembilan mentri besar during a recent Chinese New Year event.
The communications and multimedia minister clarified that the state-owned broadcaster is only required to air “live” the speech of the prime minister, which it did — following a sabotage claim by Loke’s press secretary Lim Swee Kuan.
Lim had suggested that this could possibly be “sabotage” by the state-owned broadcaster against the federal government, before demanding an explanation from RTM and promising to immediately lodge an official complaint with Gobind.
