No reporters except 18 allowed for Anwar court case coverage

PUTRAJAYA: The police have barred all court journalists from reporting any court cases today, while only a selected few are allowed for coverage of the sodomy appeal case by Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Police stopped dozens of reporters, photographers and cameramen, from both local and foreign media, from doing any coverage of court cases today, while 18 reporters, among those who applied to cover Anwar's appeal, are allowed in.
"Only the 18 reporters are allowed in. It is orders from higher authority.
"No reporters are allowed for any cases," a court police officer told reporters outside the cordoned area in front of the Palace of Justice earlier.
When stressed that there are case managements for matters other than Anwar's case, the officer said "no reporters for other cases".
She reiterated that only the 18 reporters from the dozens who submitted their names at the Kuala Lumpur Police Contingent headquarters will be allowed in.
Registration for the names of reporters had only been required for the coverage of Anwar's sodomy appeal case.
The main entrance of the court complex has been barricaded and cordoned off for about 300m with high police presence since the wee hours of the morning.
Media personnel had begun gathering outside the court complex as early as 5am to prevent any entry issues that may hinder their court coverage.