When contacted, Umno Supreme Council member Ab Aziz Kaprawi said he hoped the mainstream media would be fair in their reporting.

“There is no need to take their side since they (PH) claim to fight for justice,” he said, referring to news coverage in several national dailies which previously published mainly negative reports against PH leaders but have now switched to being friendly towards the new ruling coalition.

The new editorial policy was raised at a recent staff meeting of the Umno-linked New Straits Times and its two sister papers, where they were told to adjust to the “new political environment”.

NSTP group CEO A Jalil Hamid was reported as saying at the meeting that the newspapers needed to be more in tune with public opinion.

At the Umno-owned Utusan Melayu Group, meanwhile, the management was reportedly under pressure to get the party to sell off its stake in the company.

Aziz, who lost his Sri Gading parliamentary seat to PPBM in the election, said the media should be free to provide accurate information to the public.

“All parties fight for the interest of the people, only their methods differ. I feel it is right for the mainstream media to stay open in this matter,” he said, adding that news of BN, which is now the opposition, should not be played down.

Umno information chief Annuar Musa said it was up to the new government to decide whether the media should be fair to all sides.

“How can I answer that, you should ask the government,” he said, adding that it was premature to offer an opinion on the matter.

Meanwhile, MIC Youth chief C Sivarraajh said the mainstream media should not fear providing news coverage on BN.

According to him, the previous BN government had allowed the media to offer input and opinions.

“I believe the media should provide checks and balances, not to criticise them (PH). Maybe our views will be accepted,” he said.

He also expressed hope that the mainstream media would support the views of BN, to ensure PH fulfilled its promises.