KUALA LUMPUR – Media rights groups and political figures have expressed concern and outrage at the intimidation of two reporters from The Vibes by a security guard outside the immigration office at the Pudu Urban Transformation Centre here today.
A coalition of media practitioners and supporters of press freedom known as Gerakan Media Merdeka (Geramm) has condemned the guard’s actions, saying that the matter should be professionally resolved by immigration authorities as the act of intimidating media members will lend a bad name to the department.
“It should be emphasised that the media is responsible for conducting coverage on the field and if assistance cannot be provided, they should at least be given the space to carry out their jobs,” it said in a statement on its Facebook page today.
It added that existing laws such as those in Indonesia regarding the tasks of media members should be looked at as an example of how the profession can be upheld here.
“Media practitioners in Malaysia should unite to demand protection to carry out their duties without being hindered and even abused. Under such laws, obstructing the media from carrying out its duties can be a criminal offence.”
Speaking to The Vibes, Klang MP Charles Santiago labelled the guard’s actions as a “complete violation of press freedom”, saying there was no need to verbally abuse journalists who were merely doing their jobs.
He also took Immigration Director-General Datuk Seri Khairul Dzaimee Daud and Home Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin to task, saying both should take responsibility and issue an apology to the reporters, and ensure disciplinary action is taken against the guard.
While expressing his criticism of the guard’s behaviour, he said security officers are probably put under a lot of pressure to implement the orders of their superiors and might be overwhelmed when huge crowds turn up everyday.
He added that the many complaints and long queues at the department, which the journalists were attempting to report on, is a symptom of a larger problem surrounding the lack of proper planning and the inefficiency of government authorities.
“The nation is transitioning towards the endemic phase, the government should plan accordingly to accommodate the changes taking place such as an increase in traffic at government departments.”
Meanwhile, Petaling Jaya MP Maria Chin Abdullah told The Vibes that such harsh treatment towards the press, or to anyone for that matter, is “unnecessary and overly sensitive”.
“UTC must be responsible for such verbal violence and hold briefing sessions for its staff on how to treat people in a respectful manner. Security guards seem to take on decision roles when it comes to chasing media away or determining what women wear. Is this what they are empowered to do by UTC?” she questioned.
Taking to social media, Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman said that since reporters are tasked with delivering the truth to the public, more must be done to end harassment against media members.
It is the reporter’s job to report the truth to the public.
— Syed Saddiq (@SyedSaddiq) May 14, 2022
They should not be harassed.
Any mismanagement of an agency be it public or private should be transparent and be solved not to be concealed.
This is our right to information.
We must do better. https://t.co/ezE3Lp2h89
“Any mismanagement of an agency, be it public or private, should be solved transparently and not concealed,” he said on Twitter, adding that people have a right to information.
Similarly, Muda information chief Luqman Long called on the Immigration Department to look into the incident, saying in a Twitter post that the harassment of journalists is a wrongful act that must be stopped.
Intimidasi dan gangguan kepada wartawan adalah satu tindakan yang salah.
— luqmanlong (@luqmanlong) May 14, 2022
Tugas wartawan adalah melaporkan isu-isu rakyat untuk pengetahuan orang ramai.
Jika dihalang begini lagi, saya risau dengan keselamatan rakan media yang bertugas.
Minta @imigresenmy jawab hal ini. https://t.co/S9qOFK8pTD
“If journalists are blocked like this again, I worry for the safety of our friends in the media.”
Earlier today, The Vibes’ reporters were told that they required formal approval from management authorities to take pictures of videos of those standing in line along the corridors.
When they attempted to speak with people in the crowd, they were told to leave the premises, otherwise more guards would be called to forcefully escort them out.
Later on, the guards forcefully snatched away the journalist’s phone when they realised they were being recorded, while shouting at the reporters to leave.
“You need permission to be here! This is UTC, do you understand?!” a guard shouted at the reporters. – The Vibes, May 14, 2022
Additional reporting by Lancelot Theseira
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