Permatang Pauh PKR division chief Amir Ghazali stated that the protocol for Deputy Prime Minister Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and Anwar was now different as they were now leaders of the ruling coalition.

“We were previously the opposition. Now, as the ruling federal government, it is a given that when the DPM comes to Permatang Pauh, there will be protocol that we have never gone through before.

“On behalf of the Permatang Pauh PKR division and the security unit, we take full responsibility for the misunderstanding which should not have happened.

“We apologise to all media personnel who were present. We will ensure that such an incident will not recur,” he said in a statement on his Facebook page.

Amir’s posting was in response to a comment piece by Malaysiakini reporter Susan Loone, who had criticised Pakatan Harapan (PH) leaders for ignoring the media which once gave them coverage when they were in the opposition camp but who are now “basking in the spotlight” of coverage from television as well as other big media outlets which once snubbed them.

Writing on Facebook, the Penang-based reporter, who has been reporting for a news portal for close to two decades, singled out Amanah president Mohamad Sabu for ignoring independent journalists since his appointment as defence minister, and accused his media team of practising favouritism.

She also did not spare Wan Azizah and Anwar in her criticism and said their bodyguards had shoved and barred journalists from carrying out their duty.

A similar complaint about the new government’s media policy was raised earlier this week when the Prime Minister’s Department only allowed national news agency Bernama, Media Prima-owned TV3 and state broadcaster Radio Televisyen Malaysia to cover a meeting between Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Chinese tycoon Jack Ma.

Journalist blasts Mat Sabu’s press team over snub to independent media