Exco's statement an insult to media practitioners in Malacca – group

 

The Malacca Media Practitioners Club (Pendika) has expressed its disappointment with the state Tourism, Culture and Heritage Committee chairperson Muhammad Jailani Khamis for disparaging local journalists in the presence of foreign investors at a press conference yesterday.

Its chairperson, Amir Mamat said Jailani (above) had allegedly uttered a statement about the journalists to investors from Korea for not posing follow-up questions, saying, “because they having communication problems a bit because they can't speak English fluently. They can understand but they cannot converse,” which Amir deemed to be an insult.

"We have noted complaints from some of our members regarding the statement. A state committee chairperson should not belittle media practitioners in front of foreign investors, especially in a programme that is related to government efforts.

"The mainstream media then unanimously agreed not to do a write-up about the programme and decided to leave the event,” he said in a statement yesterday.

Amir said he hoped that such an incident would not recur and good relations between the media and state government remained intact as the press also has a role in maintaining Malacca’s good name.

The incident allegedly happened at a media conference on the proposed 22-kilometre “maglev” system to connect tourist hotspot locations and the development of Disneyland Theme Park and Disney City in Malacca.

I was ‘misconstrued’

Meanwhile, in his defence, Jailani said the media had misunderstood his statement as an insult, which resulted in a media boycott of the programme.

“I was merely explaining to the guests, who had waited for questions to be asked in English. I did not intend to insult the media.

"In my statement, I only wanted to 'cover’ the journalists present so that they (the foreign investors) do not think the reporters present were not interested in asking questions. And I was only speaking to the person next to me,” he added.

- Bernama