PETALING JAYA: The actions of some influencers attempting to create content from the Putra Heights gas pipeline fire have allegedly inconvenienced media practitioners at the temporary relief centre (PPS) located at the Putra Heights Mosque.
As a result, media practitioners were prohibited from entering the relief centre on Friday (April 4), making it difficult for them to obtain information regarding the victims of the fire.
It is understood that the presence of so many individuals making their own recordings in the PPS hall affected the efficiency of operations and triggered discomfort among the victims, according to Kosmo.
A journalist from Free Malaysia Today stated that the prohibition infringed on the media’s right to report on the current situation of the gas pipeline blaze victims.
“The management should allocate time for the media to interview the victims, perhaps 15 minutes a day, which would be sufficient.
“Similarly, the victims should be informed in advance about the media’s presence in the evacuation centres (PPS),“ she was quoted as saying.
Another journalist from Utusan Malaysia mentioned that the issue made it hard to get coverage of the victims and said the authorities need to implement tighter regulations to allow media coverage in the PPS.
“To me, this is very troublesome and somewhat unfair because we need to get work done.
“As much as possible, entry into the evacuation centres (PPS) should be restricted to media practitioners with valid media accreditation only,“ she was quoted as saying.
Meanwhile, another media practitioner from Malaysia Tribune expressed his disappointment at the management’s decision to bar media coverage in the centre.
“I am slightly disappointed because we cannot enter, and I feel this matter depends on the management’s discretion to handle the issue wisely because we are here to provide accurate information to the public.
“Non-media individuals who wish to use the victims as content for social media should use reasonable judgement before exposing the victims’ suffering,“ she was quoted as saying.
