LETTER | Patriot condemns unlawful intimidation of journalists

LETTER | Persatuan Patriot Kebangsaan (Patriot) takes a serious view of a report where a security guard at the Immigration Department in the UTC building on Jalan Pudu, Kuala Lumpur, threatened two The Vibes journalists, snatched their mobile phones and barred them from their duties.

Patriot supports the call from various concerned citizens for appropriate action to be taken by the authorities and put to immediate stop such attacks on journalists.

We uphold to the letter the constitutional and democratic right that as much as the public has a right to truthful information, the media must not be hampered from its sacrosanct duty to inform in equal measure.

The video evidence widely circulated on social media clearly indicates that the said security guard who violated the space, security and safety of the journalists on duty and denied them the right to carry out their sacrosanct responsibilities raises several deep-seated concerns that demand immediate attention from the government to resolve such undemocratic, intimidating actions permanently.

It is unacceptable an explanation from the authorities to claim that the said security guard is not a staff member of the Immigration Department and thereby deem themselves absolved of any wrongdoing.

The fact is the Immigration Department in soliciting and contracting a private security company to provide services at its place of business is to be held equally accountable for such aggression, putting at risk public safety and violating media rights as was displayed by the security guard.

We are also disturbed by the body language and the appearance (attire and grooming) of the security guard. We wonder whether this is the new standard which appears more thuggish than trained, disciplined security personnel.

In the first place, what right does a security guard have to confiscate the personal belongings/working tools of journalists? If this is not a serious violation then we invite the police to enlighten us.

We cannot treat such intimation tactics lightly and dismiss these as yet another ‘isolated’ incident.

If we do not address this incident in a responsible, accountable manner then a precedent is set and a culture of violation of our rights seeps in and does not augur well for any government.

Certainly, this is not the sole and first reported incident of hired security guards taking the law into their own hands or situations where government departments contracting such services continue to remain absolved of any blame.

Perhaps the government should seriously revamp the entire practice of using contracting privatised security guard services and instead either employ retired police/military service officers who are better informed about our rights as citizens, or even review the smart option of expanding the auxiliary police unit.

Hence in condemning this uncalled for violation, Patriot demands a permanent remedy from the authorities/relevant ministry.

MOHAMED ARSHAD RAJI is the president of Persatuan Patriot Kebangsaan.

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