JOHOR BARU: The Johor Media Club (KMJ) is crying foul over the treatment of media practitioners, including two female reporters who were allegedly touched and pinched by a minister's bodyguards while covering the by-elections here.
KMJ president Mohamad Fauzi Ishak said the incidents took place during two ceramah for the Pulai parliamentary by-election in Taman Anggerik and Taman Dahlia here on Tuesday (Sept 5).
"Some of the minister's bodyguards tried to obstruct media personnel from carrying out their duties.
"One of them allegedly touched a female reporter's hand a few times while she was recording the press conference with her smartphone.
"At another ceramah, one of his bodyguards pinched another female reporter's lower back a few times during a press conference with the minister.
"The reporter's voice saying 'jangan sentuh saya' (do not touch me) can be heard in the voice recording of the press conference.
"At the same event, one of the bodyguards allegedly shoved a photographer's camera," he said in a statement on Friday (Sept 8).
Mohamad Fauzi, who is also Gabungan Kelab Media Malaysia president, said such behaviour raises concerns about the safety of media personnel on the job.
"Touching or pinching female reporters makes them uncomfortable and threatened – it can also be viewed as sexual harassment.
"KMJ views these incidents – which should not have happened in the first place – seriously and hopes that there will be no repeat in the future.
"The media should be given the space and opportunity to do their job of disseminating information to the masses without fear for their personal safety," he added.
KMJ is made up of more than 140 media members in Johor.
