The Human Resources Ministry will discuss with media employers, creating guidelines to ensure the safety of journalists accompanying humanitarian aid missions abroad.
Minister Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam said the guidelines were to prevent media practitioners from becoming victims when covering events in high risk areas.
"Among aspects to be taken into account are the location, training needed and accuracy of information given to journalists before covering events.
"This is to ensure that employers provide the necessary equipment to safeguard the health and safety of journalists," he said after handing over RM1,500 funeral expenses by Social Security Organisation (Socso) to the heirs of BernamaTV cameraman Noramfaizul Mohd Nor at the family home here Wednesday.
Also present were his deputy, Datuk Maznah Mazlan and Putera 1Malaysia Club president Datuk Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim.
Since pressmen were constantly put at risk, he said the guidelines were to ensure that journalists took all safety measures to avoid the unfortunate incident that befell Noramfaizul.
"We want them to carry out duties in a safe condition because we want journalists to write and deliver news, not become part of the news," he said.
Noramfaizul, 39, died when hit by a sniper shot during Putera 1Malaysia Club humanitarian aid mission to help the people of famine-struck Somalia.
