Aussie journalists to be deported immediately

KUCHING: The two Australian journalists, who were told they would not be charged for trying to ask the Prime Minister questions on Saturday, are expected to leave the country immediately.

Their lawyer, Albert Tang, told The Star the duo from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation would be at the police station to settle their  bails, after which they would be heading straight to Kuching International Airport.

State CID chief Senior Asst Comm Dev Kumar in a statement Tuesday morning confirmed that ABC's Four Corners journalists Liston Besser and Louie Eroglu would not be charged.

"Police investigation papers were submitted to the Deputy Public Prosecutor on March 14 (Monday). The next day the police received instructions from the DPP that no charges will be filed against the two.

"Instead they will be deported from the country in pursuant with Section 18 (3) (h) of the Immigration Act 1959/63," he said.

The statement was an about turn from SAC Kumar's own comments to reporters around 11pm Monday when he said the duo would be charged and Tang had been informed to produce Besser and Eroglu in court by 8.30am.

The journalists were arrested at Kota Sentosa at 8.35pm on March 12 for failing to comply with police instructions not to breach the security line during the Prime Minister's visit to a mosque.