Gobind Singh Deo – Bernama file photo
KUALA LUMPUR: Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) adheres to the standard operating procedure (SOP) by broadcasting live only the delivery of speeches by the prime minister in any event also attended by ministers and menteris besar, it was stated today.
Communications and Multimedia Minister Gobind Singh Deo said this in a statement by way of a reply to a complaint against RTM raised by a minister’s aide over the live coverage of a recent event.
Lim Swee Kuan, an aide of Transport Minister Anthony Loke, had questioned if RTM was sabotaging the federal government after Loke’s speech at the 2019 Chinese New Year Open House was not broadcast last Sunday.
Gobind said that the RTM SOP stated clearly that when the prime minister attended an official event, only the delivery of the speech by the prime minister was broadcast live over RTM.
“As such, RTM cannot be faulted for not airing the delivery of speech of a minister and the menteri besar of Negeri Sembilan at that (CNY Open House) event as the prime minister had attended and spoken at the event,” he said.
Gobind said that despite the SOP, there was still room for the organiser of an event to discuss changes with RTM on the live coverage.
He said RTM did not do anything wrong in the event concerned and the live coverage was made in accordance with the needs of the organiser and the SOP.
He also said that live coverage was provided for other individuals, more than what was required under the SOP, based on the news value of an event.
Gobind said that in the event concerned, there was no request for changes and, as such, RTM adhered strictly to the SOP and broadcast only the delivery of speech of the prime minister.
“I was also informed that this was done with the consent of the organiser, namely the Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry,” he said.
Gobind said he would not hesitate to reprimand anyone with the intention of improving the services at RTM if he had strong reasons to do so. – Bernama