KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 13): Several veteran journalists say reporters always have to be at ground zero where the action is and, as such, they can be categorised as frontliners as well.

The action may be an event, a natural disaster, a road crash or a shooting incident, and reporting demands going down to the ground to get the best story.

It is no different also in the matter of covering events associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, such as lockdowns, roadblocks, food distribution and so on.

Tokoh Wartawan Negara (National Journalism Laureate) Tan Sri Johan Jaaffar said reporters have no choice but to report all activities associated with COVID-19.

Citing the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the former chairman of Media Prima Bhd and former editor-in-chief of Utusan Melayu said they take risks going to places such as hospitals, areas isolated under the Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO) and COVID-19 quarantine centres to convey accurate information to the public.

“However, it has never been mentioned that frontliners also comprise journalists. They should be (regarded as frontliners) because in any situation journalists are always in front,” he told Bernama.

It had been reported that several reporters were found to be COVID-19-positive after having gone down to the ground, including a reporter who had covered the Sabah state election last year.

It would not be too demanding, said Johan, for journalists to be included in the earliest groups of people to be given the COVID-19 vaccine based on the nature of their job.

Malaysian Press Institute (MPI) chief executive officer Datuk Chamil Wariya concurred, saying the authorities should consider listing journalists as the first to receive the vaccine.

He said this was a necessity because there is a possibility of journalists coming across an asymptomatic carrier of the coronavirus while on duty.