Shakib speaking to reporters at the event.
KUCHING: The Ministry of Communications and Multimedia is seeking an explanation from Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) Sarawak over allegations that the state broadcaster was prohibited from covering events organised by the Sarawak government.
According to its deputy secretary-general (Policy) Shakib Shakir, the ministry is unaware of such a matter and has never issued such a directive in the first place.
“We are not aware of this issue but we will be seeking an explanation from RTM, specifically RTM Sarawak, for an explanation on this.
“After we’ve received the explanation, then we will be able to see what is our next approach to address this matter,” he told reporters when met after officiating the Cyber Crime Prevention and Anti-Trafficking Awareness Briefing at RTM Sarawak Auditorium here today.
Shakib stressed that as far as he is concerned, there has never been a directive which prohibits RTM from providing coverage in states which are held by the opposition.
Nevertheless, he emphasised that what is more important now is to get the explanation from RTM Sarawak.
Yesterday, Tourism, Culture, Arts, Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah had urged Communications and Multimedia Minister Gobind Singh Deo to rectify the alleged guidelines which forbade RTM from providing coverage at opposition-held states.
He had told reporters at a press conference to announce the 117th Malaysian Amateur Open golf championship here that he could not shake the feeling that opposition states in the country are being sidelined by the national broadcaster.
“I think RTM is clearly not giving the state government, which is under Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS), any coverage, and the minister-in-charge (Gobind) should do something about it soon,” he said.
To prove his point, Abdul Karim pointed out that his press conference was not covered by RTM journalists, which added to his suspicion that state government events were being boycotted.
He went on to suggest that if Gobind was unable to do anything to address the situation, the latter should admit he was not up to task in carrying out his duties as a federal minister.