JOHOR BARU: Johor Media Club has expressed regret and concern over an incident involving alleged harassment and disruption against media personnel during the coverage of the Pakatan Harapan convention here on Sunday (May 17).
In response, the Pakatan Convention secretariat said it took seriously any allegations involving interference with media duties, including issues related to safety.
The media club had, in a statement on Tuesday (May 19), said the incident allegedly involved excessive actions by the party security squad tasked with controlling the convention and managing the movement of dignitaries.
The club added that several local media practitioners from Johor and Kuala Lumpur were obstructed from carrying out their duties through aggressive behaviour.
The association said the situation escalated into pushing incidents and verbal altercations while media personnel were attempting to obtain reactions from party leaders.
"The uncontrolled situation not only caused discomfort and disrupted media duties, but also directly affected the safety of media personnel carrying out their responsibilities professionally," the statement read.
The club said the incident should not have happened as the organisers had earlier assured media practitioners that proper access and space would be provided.
"As strategic partners in disseminating information to the public, media practitioners should be given cooperation and professional treatment by all parties, including security teams and event organisers," it added.
Following the incident, the club said it had lodged a police report to ensure such incidents would not recur and to safeguard the welfare and rights of media personnel.
The association also called on the organisers and related parties to provide an immediate explanation regarding the incident.
The club expressed hope that all parties would continue to ensure the safety and freedom of media practitioners in the future.
The Pakatan Convention Secretariat said it took seriously any allegations involving interference with media duties, including issues related to safety.
In a statement, the secretariat said Pakatan appreciated the role of the media as a strategic partner and upheld the principles of media freedom.
The secretariat said an internal investigation was currently being conducted to obtain a clearer picture of the incident, including feedback from security personnel and programme secretariat members.
It added that full cooperation would be given to the authorities if required to ensure the matter was handled fairly and prudently.
"At the same time, improvements will be made to ensure media management and security control during future programmes can be carried out in a more organised, professional and harmonious manner," the statement said.
A police official confirmed the report.
