KUALA LUMPUR – Police have called in PETRA News editor-in-chief Terence Fernandez and The Vibes journalist Qistina Nadia Dzulqarnain this morning to provide updates on the case involving her harassment and assault a week after the incident.
The Vibes is made to understand that police wish to offer updates on the case as well as take additional statements if necessary.
During the meeting, the duo were told that police would not pursue the case further due to “inconclusive evidence” and that the decision was made by the deputy public prosecutor.
In addition, the police said a statement was taken from the security guard, who was involved in the incident, last Saturday at 3pm.
Qistina Nadia had received a phone call from the investigating officer yesterday requesting that she and Fernandez turn up at the Dang Wangi district police headquarters at 10am today.
The meeting with police ended at 10.50am.
Just four days ago, Kuala Lumpur Criminal Investigations Department (CID) chief Habibi Majinji decided to reclassify the investigation after personally going over the facts of the case.
He said the case would now be investigated under Section 160 of the Penal Code, which relates to offences involving those committing affray or causing a commotion.
Those developments by the city CID chief came less than 48 hours after Habibi’s subordinate and Dang Wangi district police chief Noor Dellhan Yahaya told The Vibes that police had all but concluded there were no criminal elements in the case.
It was initially classified as a case to “refer to the magistrate” for lack of criminal elements.
Noor Dellhan’s statement had come just less than an hour after reporters Qistina Nadia and Lancelot Theseira had finished giving their statements to police last Saturday evening.
The assault against the duo took place on Saturday morning when they visited the Pudu Urban Transformation Centre (UTC) to investigate complaints of long queues at the Immigration Department counters from those looking to renew their travel documents.
During this visit, they were threatened and harassed by a security guard on duty at the immigration section.
JUST IN
— TheVibes.com (@thevibesnews) May 14, 2022
Two reporters from The Vibes were subjected to a barrage of verbal intimidation and threats at the @imigresenmy office in UTC Pudu today.
The guard is heard yelling "This is UTC! Do you understand?! Get out!" despite the reporters identifying themselves as media. pic.twitter.com/IIGTFJBxYG
The reporters were also told that they could not take pictures nor speak to those standing in line along the corridors without formal approval.
A video of the incident has since gone viral on social media, triggering reactions from media rights groups and politicians decrying the abuse against Qistina Nadia and Theseira. Subsequently, there has been a call for laws to protect journalists in the field. – The Vibes, May 20, 2022
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