GEORGE TOWN – The National Union of Journalists Malaysia (NUJM) has called on the Communications and Multimedia Ministry to intervene to provide better protection for media practitioners when they are performing field work.
This follows the statement by Dang Wangi district police chief Noor Dellhan Yahaya who said that there was no criminal element in the alleged assault of The Vibes’ journalist by a security guard at a government facility.
NUJM president Farah Marshita Abdul Patah said that the union was disturbed by the stance taken by police as it shows that journalists had absolutely no protection when out on the field, where they were subjected to harassment and intimidation.
Farah, who is a Berita Harian media practitioner, said that it is discouraging that the ministry, which oversees mass media activities in the country, had chosen to remain silent when journalists were prevented from effectively carrying out their duties.
“Even during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, journalists had to plead to be accorded vaccines since they are out in the field reporting on the issue.”
This is unlike the Health Ministry, which responded well to reports that junior doctors (housemen) are subjected to bullying at public hospitals, she said when contacted.
“This is worrisome as we are hearing quite a number of complaints from journalists over how they were prevented from carrying out their duties. This must stop.”
Both minister Tan Sri Annuar Musa and his deputy Datuk Zahidi Zainul Abidin could not be reached for comment on the matter.
Meanwhile, Penang Media Club president Imran Hilmy urged the relevant authorities not to take the incident that occured at the government facility lightly.
“It is unbecoming to seize a person’s smartphone and hurl insults at people who are just doing their jobs,” said Imran, a senior journalist with The Star newspaper here.
He hoped that police would review the decision not to further investigate the case.
Bukit Gelugor MP Ramkarpal Singh also lent his support to calls for a need to have a better code of conduct for security personnel manning public government facilities.
“They must be reminded that it is the public who are paying their salaries, who are the taxpayers. There must also be a better system to prevent crowding at government facilities, especially since Covid-19 continues to linger on,” said Ramkarpal when met here today.
He said that he will go through the circumstances of how The Vibes journalist was allegedly manhandled and had her cell phone seized, especially since there is now a question mark over why the police chose to only refer the matter to the magistrate.
“The police obviously made a decision but is it the best way to handle it?'” he asked.
Earlier today, The Vibes reported Dang Wangi district police chief Noor Dellhan said that authorities will not pursue the case involving The Vibes’ Qistina Nadia Dzulqarnain and Lancelot Theseira, saying the aggrieved parties can instead take the matter to the magistrates’ court if they decide to pursue a civil suit.
This is despite Qistina Nadia’s report indicating that she was manhandled, and her cell phone seized – both offences under the Penal Code.
On Saturday morning, the reporters were harassed and threatened by security guards at the immigration counters at the Pudu Urban Transformation Centre.
They were told that they could not take pictures or speak to the public without formal approval from management authorities, with the guards shouting aggressively demanding that they leave the premises.
The security personnel later forcefully snatched a phone away from Qistina Nadia after realising they were being recorded, before Theseira retrieved it during the commotion. – The Vibes, May 16, 2022
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