Despite risks, govt says aye to live parliament coverage
Beh Lih YiPublished: Mar 22, 2005 9:24 AM | Updated: Jan 29, 2008 10:21 AM
It's too expensive, audience rating would fall and racial sensitivities could be jeopardised. Nevertheless, the state-owned RTM station has decided to throw caution to the wind and air live telecasts of Parliamentary proceedings.
It's too expensive, audience rating would fall and racial sensitivities could be jeopardised. Nevertheless, the state-owned RTM station has decided to throw caution to the wind and air live telecasts of Parliamentary proceedings.
But before you start scratching your head or get your hopes high, this was actually a blooper made in a written reply from the government to an opposition parliamentarian today.
The reply had intended to explain why the proceedings could not be shown live, citing the above reasons.
Opposition parliamentarian Teresa Kok (DAP-Seputeh) had tabled an ordinary motion urging RTM to provide live coverage on Parliament proceedings so the public will know what transpires in the August House.
"Besides involving high cost, Dewan Rakyat proceedings are quite long. If RTM live telecasts (the proceedings), the audience's interest towards RTM is expected to reduced and it will jeopardise the government's effort to deliver information to the people," read the written reply distributed to members of the media.
Different atmospheres
"Live telecast of Parliament proceedings sometime could also lead to racial sensitivity because the atmosphere outside the Dewan Rakyat is different compared with inside the House," it added.
The subsequent paragraph contained the blooper, which read: "In view of the above reasons, RTM plans to live telecast the Parliament proceedings."
However, the four-page document did not state which ministry had issued it. RTM falls under the purview of the Information Ministry.
The ministry has introduced a 30-minute programme aired over RTM which shows a compilation of edited Parliamentary proceedings.
Meanwhile, the reply also said that RTM has provided live coverage to the opening of each new Parliament's session, the tabling of budgets and special Parliament sittings.
Decision welcomed
Contacted later, Kok said it was obvious there was a mistake in the reply since the reasons stated were contradictory to the decision.
"Nonetheless, I welcome the government's 'decision' to live telecast the sittings," she quipped, adding that it was the first time she had received a reply to her ordinary motion.
Ordinary motions, which differ from an emergency motion, under Standing Order 18 (1), will appear on the order paper but are rarely raised for debates in the House.
"It was also strange that the reply did not state which ministry issued it although we could presume this is from the Information Ministry since it oversees RTM," said Kok
As for the reasons cited, the DAP MP was unhappy about the one on racial sensitivity, saying it gives the impression that parliamentarians make 'irrational and highly sensitive statements' in the House.
However later in the day, Information Ministry officials upon realizing the mistake, proceeded to withdraw the written reply distributed to the press corp.
But before you start scratching your head or get your hopes high, this was actually a blooper made in a written reply from the government to an opposition parliamentarian today.
The reply had intended to explain why the proceedings could not be shown live, citing the above reasons. Opposition parliamentarian Teresa Kok (DAP-Seputeh) had tabled an ordinary motion urging RTM to provide live coverage on Parliament proceedings so the public will know what transpires in the August House.
"Besides involving high cost, Dewan Rakyat proceedings are quite long. If RTM live telecasts (the proceedings), the audience's interest towards RTM is expected to reduced and it will jeopardise the government's effort to deliver information to the people," read the written reply distributed to members of the media.
Different atmospheres
"Live telecast of Parliament proceedings sometime could also lead to racial sensitivity because the atmosphere outside the Dewan Rakyat is different compared with inside the House," it added.
The subsequent paragraph contained the blooper, which read: "In view of the above reasons, RTM plans to live telecast the Parliament proceedings."
However, the four-page document did not state which ministry had issued it. RTM falls under the purview of the Information Ministry.
The ministry has introduced a 30-minute programme aired over RTM which shows a compilation of edited Parliamentary proceedings.
Meanwhile, the reply also said that RTM has provided live coverage to the opening of each new Parliament's session, the tabling of budgets and special Parliament sittings.
Decision welcomed
Contacted later, Kok said it was obvious there was a mistake in the reply since the reasons stated were contradictory to the decision. "Nonetheless, I welcome the government's 'decision' to live telecast the sittings," she quipped, adding that it was the first time she had received a reply to her ordinary motion.
Ordinary motions, which differ from an emergency motion, under Standing Order 18 (1), will appear on the order paper but are rarely raised for debates in the House.
"It was also strange that the reply did not state which ministry issued it although we could presume this is from the Information Ministry since it oversees RTM," said Kok
As for the reasons cited, the DAP MP was unhappy about the one on racial sensitivity, saying it gives the impression that parliamentarians make 'irrational and highly sensitive statements' in the House.
However later in the day, Information Ministry officials upon realizing the mistake, proceeded to withdraw the written reply distributed to the press corp.
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