PETALING JAYA – Netizens have panned veteran singer Datuk Mohd Shukri Shahabudin over a seemingly impolite exchange with a television newscaster, following the recent passing of XPDC singer Syed Ismail Syed Ibrahim.
During his phone interview with Astro Awani, Mohd Shukri, also known as Hattan, said his interviewer did not “do your homework” before asking him questions about Syed Ismail, who passed away on April 27.
The viral incident led to netizens swarming social media platforms, claiming that the 58-year-old’s actions were to embarrass the newscaster on purpose.
“Agreed, the intentions were not halal. This falls under (the category) of humiliating someone. His sentence seemed condescending,” Facebook user Ashila Ashura was quoted as saying by Getaran, The Vibes’ Bahasa Malaysia sister portal.
“Why is Datuk (Hattan) like that? This is not a quiz programme, this is a news broadcast. (This is) embarrassing your people, datuk,” user Ain Seman commented.
Other netizens also praised the newscaster for maintaining her “steady” composure and carrying out her duty until completion, despite the interview not going as smoothly.
Another netizen, who only goes by Iman, expressed his sympathy for the newscaster.
“Pity the journalist. She became speechless, probably to contain her embarrassment. Datuk (Hattan) also sometimes advises at inappropriate times. There is no need to be conceited,” he said.
Several netizens can be seen supporting Hattan, saying the newscaster and publishers should have been more thorough with their preparation of questions.
During the interview, Hattan accused the newscaster of “not doing her homework” when she asked him for his thoughts on XPDC’s lyrics, which are known to have deep connotations.
In response, he instead asked her whether she was aware of the group’s history and whether she knew the actual lyricist for the group.
Disappointed when she failed to identify the lyricist in her first attempt, the audibly irate Hattan proceeded to request a more knowledgeable interviewer.
Following the incident, the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) urged Hattan to issue a public apology, as his actions had “humiliated” the newscaster in a live broadcast.
NUJ President Farah Marshita Abdul Patah said acts of humiliating newscasters should be stopped, as it could lead to a “chain of events” where other individuals may start treating media officers impolitely. – The Vibes, April 29, 2023
