Journalist groups are calling for press conferences to be moved online, as cases of Covid-19 continue to climb.
The National Union of Journalists (NUJ) and Gerakan Media Merdeka (Geramm) said physical press conferences should be limited for now.
"This follows recent developments involving Covid-19 positive cases among several ministers, parliamentarians, state assemblypersons and their entourage, indirectly exposing media practitioners to the risk of becoming close contacts or secondary contacts," Geramm said in a statement.
There have also been at least two incidents where someone who attended a press conference, later tested positive for the virus.
In one case, a press photographer attended a press conference by former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad on Dec 31, days before testing positive.
Meanwhile, a blogger who attended Padang Rengas MP Nazri Abdul Aziz's press conference on Tuesday has also tested positive for Covid-19.
Most press conferences these days are streamed online. But for government pressers, there is no mechanism for questions to be asked online.
Geramm said those holding press conference must open communication channels so questions can be asked.
Civil society organisations (CSOs) have utilised teleconferencing app Zoom and take questions from the app or through social media.
In the early stages of the pandemic last year, Pakatan Harapan had also experimented with taking questions from journalists via WhatsApp.
"The media is among the most exposed to Covid-19 infection while carrying out their duties, but time and again their role and safety are sidelined," NUJ president Farah Marshita Abdul Patah said in a statement.
The NUJ added that the media must also be vigilant while on duty and to comply with the standard operating procedures. - Mkini
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.