PETALING JAYA: Harassment of journalists remains a serious concern in Malaysia, affecting them across various platforms, says the National Union of Journalists (NUJ).
While the exact numbers may vary depending on reporting and awareness, harassment – both online and offline – is unfortunately prevalent, said NUJ general secretary Teh Athira Yusof.
“The instances range from verbal abuse and intimidation while covering politically sensitive events to targeted online harassment, including doxing and gender-based attacks, particularly against female journalists. This also included physical harassment.
“We’ve also noted cases where journalists were physically threatened or obstructed while reporting on public protests, environmental issues, or doing investigative stories.
“These incidents often stem from dissatisfaction with the journalist’s work or are attempts to suppress information from reaching the public,” she said.
To better understand this issue, NUJ is actively collecting feedback from members and collaborating with organisations such as Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) and media practitioners coalition GERAMM to track cases and address them comprehensively, Teh Athira added.
She said this in response to the All Women’s Action Society (Awam) alongside the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the European Commission (EC) launch of #MediaToo: Untold Stories of Gender-Based Violence on Monday.
Awam said that journalists, especially women, encounter disproportionate harassment, discrimination, and exploitation in the workplace.
Several journalists also shared their experiences anonymously.
One of them, Laksmi (not her real name), said that she had faced danger and bullying on the job.
“While reporting on some sensitive issues, people have filed police reports against me, not to professionally challenge my work but to discredit and silence me. It felt like a personal attack on my credibility.
“I have run into gangsters while covering illegal sand mining in the Klang Valley. Once, men on motorbikes with walkie-talkies chased me. I was terrified and I cried,” she said.
Siti (not her real name) was knocked to the ground after being pushed by the bodyguards of a politician.
“It was during a by-election campaign in Negri Sembilan a few years back. The politician as he walked by acknowledged me. I thought that was a cue for me to approach him. However, as I walked forward, his bodyguards pushed me away and I lost my balance and fell to the ground,” she said, adding that the politician’s wife had then come over to see if she was okay.
She urged the Communications Ministry to come up with a guideline on how VIPS should handle the media as well as a grievance line allowing them to voice out without the fear of being marked. By FAZLEENA AZIZ
fazleena@thestar.com.my
