Online media malaysiakini is still banned from covering Umno's functions including the Umno supreme council meeting at the party's headquarters in the Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC) in Kuala Lumpur today.

A malaysiakini journalist was denied entry to level 38 of the building where the press conference was scheduled to be held by party acting president Abdullah Ahmad Badawi at about 3.30pm after chairing the meeting today.

Last October, malaysiakini journalists were also barred from attending the press conference held by Dr Mahathir Mohamad after chairing his last Umno supreme council meeting before he retired as party president and prime minister.

Two party officials, who were manning the media desk at the ground floor of the building, said only media with official press cards issued by the Information Ministry were allowed in.

When the journalist asked why he was not allowed in, one of the Umno officials told him that malaysiakini is not recognised as an official media registered with the Information Ministry.

Standing order

When asked who issued the instruction banning malaysiakini from covering the Umno's function at the party's headquarters, the officials said, the standing order came from the "party management".

Asked whether the order was issued by Umno secretary-general Khalil Yaakob or executive secretary Tengku Adnan Mansor, both officials repeatedly said that the instruction was made by the "Umno management".

Tengku Adnan, when approached by the journalist later in PWTC, confirmed that malaysiakini has been banned from covering Umno's functions.

Ironically, malaysiakini journalists were allowed to cover the press conferences or other functions attended by the new prime minister, though he was also the acting party chief.

This included Wednesday's press conference by Abdullah in the Prime Minister's Office in Putrajaya when he announced the appointment of Umno vice-president Najib Abdul Razak as deputy prime minister.

Najib's new tasks

Meanwhile, Bernama reported that the Umno supreme council meeting today has decided that vice-president Najib will assume the duties of the deputy president with immediate effect.

Speaking to reporters after he meeting, Abdullah said Najib will also head the Umno management committee.

Vice-president Muhyiddin Yassin was appointed as Umno representative in Barisan Nasional's supreme council, in addition to Abdullah and Najib.