PETALING JAYA: Recent media reports involving a bus driver charged with alleged sexual offences against children were not a 'trial by media,' say media groups.
In a joint statement, the National Union of Journalists Peninsular Malaysia (NUJ) and Gerakan Media Merdeka (Geramm) highlighted that news reports on the bus driver's case were based on court facts.
"The journalists are bound by ethical responsibility to report facts when it comes to court reporting," the statement said.
The statement was issued in response to social media users criticising the media for "sensationalising and trivialising" the bus driver's court case.
"There have been too many accusations from some quarters on social media platforms questioning journalistic ethics when reporters covered the bus driver’s court case.
"Court reporting serves to inform the public about judicial processes, not to defame individuals or stir public sentiment," the statement said on Friday (Sept 20).
Both NUJ and Geramm also called on all media professionals to strictly adhere to journalistic ethical standards in sensitive cases.
The groups reminded the public that journalists serve as observers of justice, not purveyors of sensationalism.
Earlier this month, social media users circulated posts by the 24-year-old bus driver who ferries school children and included them in his videos, which were uploaded on TikTok. Calls by online users prompted action from the authorities.
On Sept 10, the bus driver was charged with sexually harassing a four-year-old girl in the Kluang district from April to September this year.
For this offence, he was charged under Section 14(a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017 and can be sentenced under Section 14 of the same Act, which provides for imprisonment of up to 20 years and whipping upon sentencing.
