KUALA LUMPUR, April 18 — The Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) has today urged the High Court to reconsider the decision to block the media from covering former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s court case on his pardon.

The media watchdog said the public’s right to information in an open, transparent and timely manner must be protected and upheld at all times.

"Barring the media and the flow of unbiased information on this case, effectively prevents the public from monitoring the outcome of a corruption case that rocked the nation and to hold all those accountable to the rule of law and for justice to prevail.

"The interests of political actors cannot supersede public interest,” it said, in a statement here.

CIJ asserted that by preventing the media from reporting on issues pertaining to political expediency erodes public confidence in the judiciary.

This, according to CIJ, could also erode public confidence in justice and democracy.

"Political expediency should not play any part in deterring the media as it actively prevents unbiased information from being reported and reduces the credibility of the media as they cannot play an active role in reporting on public interest matters.

"This further sets a precedent that the media cannot cover issues that involve political expediency and creates a system of opacity that leads to a trust deficit,” CIJ said.

CIJ further reiterated the need for the public interest and democratic ideals to be the cornerstones of the legal system, and for there to be no hint of double standards in the system.

"We urge the judiciary to reconsider the decision and keep the hearing public. All media must have full and meaningful access and keep the public informed accordingly.

"All semblance of inequality and double standards must be removed and the principle of equality before the law must be upheld,” said CIJ.

Yesterday, the media were barred from proceedings of Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s legal bid to compel the federal government and the Pardons Board to produce a purported "supplementary order” from the previous Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

Earlier, Najib's lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah requested leave proceedings to be heard in chambers before High Court judge Datuk Amarjeet Singh Serjit Singh.

It was revealed later that this was due to a "critical witness” on the matter, which was named in court filings as Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.