IN A FLASH 23 APRIL 2009

IN FLASH 23 APRIL 2009

GOOD AFTERNOON AND SALAM MUHIBAH.IT IS NOW TIME FOR IN A FLASH.

Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) will change the time slot for Tamil news on Nasional@1 to 7.30pm until 8pm from May 1.

Information, Communications and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim said RTM would also try to change the time slots for Mandarin and English news to be as close to prime time (8pm), for instance, at 8.30pm.

He hoped the change would satisfy the Indian and Chinese communities. He said he has discussed on the matter with his colleagues from the MCA and MIC on the matter.Rais said this after the official handing-over of duty to him by former Unity, Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal, in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

On April 17, RTM made changes to the news time slots on Nasional @ 1, including for Bahasa Malaysia news, back to 8pm since last Monday after it was moved to 9pm previously.
Mandarin news was moved to the 6.30pm-7pm slot, Tamil news to 6pm-6.30pm and English news to the 8pm-8.30pm slot over TV2.

Some quarters, including Barisan Nasional component parties, were however unhappy with the changes and urged RTM to review the rescheduling of the news segment as most Indians are at still at work or on their way home during the Tamil news broadcast.

Rais said he would also meet with other groups this Friday to hear their views on RTM's broadcast programmes.

He said the plan is for RTM's second channel (TV2) to be enjoyed and respected while TV1 will remain the national channel which gives priority to Bahasa Malaysia as the national language.
Asked whether the live telecast of parliamentary sittings would continue with him heading the ministry, Rais said it would go on but the air time would be reviewed.

He said he would also be meeting with private radio and television station operators to explain the legal requirements under the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 and their role in promoting the 1Malaysia concept.

Meanwhile, in PUTRAJAYA, Human Resource Minister Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam thanked Rais for favourably responding to the party's request to have the Tamil news returned to its original slot at 7.30pm.

Last Saturday, Dr Subramaniam, who is also MIC secretary-general, said he had written to Rais expressing the party's displeasure over RTM's move to reschedule the Tamil news from 7.30pm to 6pm.

/ends-BERNAMA


On the allegation by DAP's Lim Kit Siang that the government was dragging its feet in finding an amicable solution to the case of the three underage children who were converted to Islam without their mother's knowledge, Dr Subramaniam lashed out at Lim for trying to gain political mileage by politicizing the issue.

He said Lim wants to stir up emotions by turning it into a political issue.

In expressing dismay over Lim's allegation, he added the party is one hundred times more concerned about resolving this issue as it is a serious and sensitive matter.

Dr Subramaniam is among several cabinet ministers appointed to a special committee to resolve the case. The other members of the committee which met on Monday included Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Senator Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon, Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil and Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Jamil Khir Baharom.

The meeting was also reportedly attended by Malaysian Hindu Sangam president Datuk A. Vaithilingam.

Lim was quoted as saying in his blog that "clearly, the three ministers of the new Najib cabinet do not understand 'Performance Now' in dealing with the issue speedily".

The slogan "Performance Now" is part of Najib's new administration slogan, "One Malaysia. People First. Performance Now".

//ENDS-BERNAMA

THAT’S THE END OF IN A FLASH FOR TODAY.

SALAM MUHIBAH.