Perak MB claims unfair reporting by media

TAIPING, Sun:

Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir today expressed regret over what he claimed as unfair reporting by some local media with regard to the ruckus at the Perak State Assembly sitting on Thursday.

"Reports and pictures published in the media did not portray who actually started the fiasco...I urge the media to be objective and fair in their reporting.

"Some pictures published, portrayed as if Barisan Nasional (BN) was responsible to start the ruckus...if the media did not support BN, it is okay but reports must be fair. We are not happy with reports of some media," he told reporters after a meet-the-people session at Changkat Jering here today.

Dr Zambry said the fiasco only started when the opposition crossed over to the section where BN representatives were seated, when he tabled a motion.

"Who started the ruckus?...it was they (opposition) who initially attacked us and that was an irresponsible and uncivilized action," he said.
The action of the opposition to grab and change the names of seats that were supposed to be for the us (BN) was also not reported, he said.

Asked if any action would be taken against such media, Dr Zambry said the Perak state government respected press freedom and would not restrict or bar any media.

"We are not going to impose any restriction like what Nizar (former Perak MB) did to Utusan Malaysia or what happened in Penang when the New Straits Times was barred," he said.

The fiasco caused the first session of the second term of the assembly which was opened by the Regent of Perak, Raja Dr Nazrin Shah, to be delayed by six hours.

The commotion started with a motion to remove V. Sivakumar, from DAP, as State Assembly Speaker, and the appointment of Datuk R. Ganesan, from MIC, as the new Speaker. - Bernama