What about my rice bowls?

There is also little organizing among the media professionals to tackle the issue. The MCPA, though regularly issued statements on cases involving their members, so far has just under a hundred members. The president, Vincent Thian mulled about organising a collective action, drawing from his observation of the solidarity among international media professionals. Soon after an attack on Loh Hoay Hoon, a Guang Ming photographer at a PKR event in August this year, the MCPA threatened to boycott future events by the party. But the first hurdle would be among photographers from media of the same language, what more across the languages.

"There would be photographers, especially the younger ones who are afraid that their rice bowl would be harmed if they stage a walkout," said Thian.

The second hurdle is the reality of affiliation of certain newspapers like Utusan Malaysia with UMNO, which would mean the staff from that media would probably stay away from such protests if the target was UMNO.

The National Union of Journalists Malaysia (NUJM), the most obvious representative of journalists in these issues, however, appears disinterested in the welfare of its members.

On 18 November 2007, in responding to the attack on Koh, and recently in Permatang Pauh, NUJM president Norila Md Daud laid the responsibility on organisers to ensure the safety of journalists, instead of asserting the need for protection of journalists by all parties.

Yau, MCPA's vice president laments that the betterment of photographers hinges upon the media organization.

"At the end of the day, photographers need the support from our respective media organizations for any types of collective action. At present, they are fearful of many things; the advertisers, the government and the hassle that comes along," he said.

-ENDS-