CIJ looks at the trend of assaults of media proffesionals and reveals that it is as much a problem of the restricted media environment as violence of political party members.

By : Yip Wai Fong

Halim Berbar, who was beaten while rescuing Sairien from the mob

It probably takes a foreign journalist in Malaysia to achieve the feat. On 22 August, members of the Cabinet discussed the issue of pressmen's safety, an extremely rare agenda for such a high level meeting. The day before, Halim Berbar, a French photojournalist with the HBL Press Agency went to parliament to submit a memorandum after he and New Straits Times Press (NSTP) photographer, Mohamad Sairien Mohamad Nafiz, were attacked by a group of people while covering the nomination day of the Permatang Pauh by-election on August 16.

Mohd Sairien Mohd Nafiz

Before August 16, cases of assaults and threats against journalists and photographers came and went quietly. It has become almost a tradition that mainstream print and broadcast media give minimal coverage to issues about the profession, leaving the true gravity of the problem hidden from the public. Since 2007, the Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) documented 12 cases of assault against media professionals. Most of these cases were given not more than 200 words when they were reported.

"There had been more serious cases which the press wouldn't carry. For those cases, even if they go to court, the press as the employer would ask the photographer to accept settlement outside the court," conceded Vincent Thian Yoon Keong, photo editor of the Associated Press (AP) and president of the Malaysia Chinese Photojournalists Association (MCPA).

Yau Choon Hiam, the MCPA's vice president said competition among the press is another reason that leaves photographers with even lesser protection.

"Should their photographers be ill treated at any of the event by big advertisers, the matter would be invariably closed. Competition makes (the media organizations) unwilling to forgo any news event nor offend the advertisers," Yau tells CIJ.

An understated reason behind the minimal press coverage has to do with the prevalent politics in Malaysia. It is a telling observation that newspapers affliated with different political parties give different coverage to the cases depending on which party the victim's employer belongs to. In the case of Koh Chun Seng, a photographer with the Guang Ming Daily, who was punched on his right ear by an UMNO member, his story got prominent coverage in the the major Chinese dailies, Guang Ming, Sin Chew, China Press and Nanyang Siang Pau, which are linked to the Chinese ruling party, the Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA). In the English press, such as the UMNO-related New Straits Times (NST), coverage is sporadic. In the Malay press, where the relationship with UMNO is even closer, there is none.

Prev - Next >>