By Athi Shankar
July 3, 2011 | Free Malaysia Today
GEORGE TOWN: The assault on newsmen during Friday’s violent rally and the police inaction to stop it had irked the Penang Chinese Journalists and Photographers Association (Pewaju).
In a strongly worded statement here, Pewaju condemned the unprovoked attacks on a journalist, a photographer and a videographer by the protestors during violent and illegal rallies in George Town downtown and on Penang Bridge.
The rallies were against the Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng’s Pakatan Rakyat state government and next Saturday’s Bersih 2.0 rally.
The protesters were pre-dominantly local leaders and members of Umno, Perkasa and Suara Anak-Anak Mamak Pulau Pinang. Observers believed, among the protesters were also hired local thugs.
The rally ring leaders included the Anak Mamak group leader Mohamed Ghani Abd Jiman and Senator Ezam Mohd Nor.
“We condemn strongly the attack on journalist and cameramen during the rally.
“We are appalled and upset with the failure of police to protect the media men and the ordinary citizens,” said Pewaju.
The statement questioned the standard and status of security and safety for ordinary people given by the police.
The statement claimed the attacks on the journalist took place right before the police eyes, but the law enforcers were hapless, helpless and hopeless to stop the assault.
The statement claimed that the demonstrators simply did not bother about the presence of the police and were volatile throughout the illegal assembly.
“The ineptness of the police raised a question on their integrity, competency and credibility to protect ordinary Malaysians,” slammed Pewaju.
Pewaju explained reporters and cameramen risk their lives to be at any spots of happenings to report the truth to the public.
Hence, it insisted that media men needed absolute protection and cooperation from all quarters, especially the police, to do their job with minimum disruption and risk.
To throw into the sea
In Friday’s illegal assembly on the Penang Bridge, a youth wearing an Umno Youth shirt threatened to throw the assaulted journalist into the sea.
The protester allegedly asked the journalist whether or not he wanted to swim under the bridge.
“That is a threat to throw the journalist to the sea,” insisted Pewaju.
Pewaju questioned on why the police were lame duck in enforcing the law and failed to take preventive measures to stop the demonstration before hand when they already knew about it a day earlier.
Question also arises on why the police have been so tough to clampdown on the Bersih 2.0 rally which is yet to take place, while being incompetent in halting an illegal rally by Umno and company that actually took place.
“Are police practicing double standards here?” asked Pewaju.
Two of the assaulted journalists have already lodged police reports on the unsavoury incidents.
Pewaju calls on the police to carry out immediate probe into the reports and nab the culprits to face charges sooner than later.