Malaysiakini was shown the door at an event organised by the Former Elected Representatives Association of Malaysia (Mubarak) yesterday because it is considered a “blog”, said an official with the organisation.
However, she could not rule out the possibility that the Malaysiakini journalist, who is Indian Malaysian, was blocked because she is not Malay.
At the same time, a member of the association's national secretariat who declined to be named said yesterday's event was organised by the Federal Territories chapter and that all instructions came from the chapter.
“We were not briefed earlier but we were only told on the day not to allow bloggers in. I did not know the reason so I asked the FT secretariat to deal directly with the reporters instead,” she said apologetically when contacted today.
“There is a possibility that non-Malay reporters were barred because the topic of the event is about the future of Malays, but you have to ask the FT secretariat.”
The Mubarak FT office is, however, closed for Chinese New Year.
The Mubarak event was a discourse entitled 'Malay Race and the Future'. Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad attended it and his speech has been widely reported by the media.
'Send only Malay reporters'
Yesterday, online portal the Malaysian Insider, which was not stopped from attending the event, reported that several news editors had received an advisory only to send Malay reporters to the event.
The portal also reported that an aide to Mahathir has denied that the former premier had instructed that such an advisory should be issued.
Malaysiakini understands that at least one television station received the same advisory, while some other media outfits did not.
Reporters who confronted the organisers yesterday were also told that Malaysiakini was blocked as it is an online portal, but the secretariat could not explain why reporters from other portals were allowed in.
However, she could not rule out the possibility that the Malaysiakini journalist, who is Indian Malaysian, was blocked because she is not Malay.
At the same time, a member of the association's national secretariat who declined to be named said yesterday's event was organised by the Federal Territories chapter and that all instructions came from the chapter.
“We were not briefed earlier but we were only told on the day not to allow bloggers in. I did not know the reason so I asked the FT secretariat to deal directly with the reporters instead,” she said apologetically when contacted today.
“There is a possibility that non-Malay reporters were barred because the topic of the event is about the future of Malays, but you have to ask the FT secretariat.” The Mubarak FT office is, however, closed for Chinese New Year.
The Mubarak event was a discourse entitled 'Malay Race and the Future'. Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad attended it and his speech has been widely reported by the media.
'Send only Malay reporters'
Yesterday, online portal the Malaysian Insider, which was not stopped from attending the event, reported that several news editors had received an advisory only to send Malay reporters to the event.
The portal also reported that an aide to Mahathir has denied that the former premier had instructed that such an advisory should be issued.
Malaysiakini understands that at least one television station received the same advisory, while some other media outfits did not.
Reporters who confronted the organisers yesterday were also told that Malaysiakini was blocked as it is an online portal, but the secretariat could not explain why reporters from other portals were allowed in.
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