CIJ Condemns Attack On Sports Journalist, Urges Swift Police Probe

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 26 (Bernama) -- The Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) has condemned the assault on sports journalist Haresh Deol yesterday and called on the police to conduct a swift and transparent investigation into the matter.

CIJ executive director Wathshlah G. Naidu said the attack on the National Press Club (NPC) deputy president, which was reported to have occurred in Bangsar, raised questions about whether it was a premeditated attack on the basis of his work as a journalist.

“All media practitioners must be treated with respect and protected from any threats that cause harm to themselves and the people around them so they may effectively inform the people on public interest issues,” she said in a statement today.

Noting that CIJ stands in solidarity with Haresh, Wathshla said a swift and thorough investigation, as well as action against the perpetrators, is crucial to increase the confidence of journalists in carrying out their duties.

Haresh, who is also the co-founder of news portal TwentyTwo13, posted on X yesterday that he was attacked by two men, while another individual recorded the incident using a mobile phone.

Brickfields police chief ACP Hoo Chang Hook said police are tracking down three men believed to be involved in the incident, which occurred on Jalan Maarof, near the parking lot of a shopping mall, when Haresh was walking on the sidewalk towards Jalan Telawi.

Meanwhile, the Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA) Malaysia also condemned the assault, calling it a serious attack on press freedom and the public’s right to information.

In a statement, PRCA Malaysia said the incident was a cowardly attack - calculated, brazen, and symptomatic of the dangerous culture that emerges when people believe accountability can be dodged.

The association echoed the National Press Club (NPC)’s call for a fearless, uncompromised investigation.

“We stand firmly with Haresh, with the NPC and with all journalists who continue reporting despite risks that they should never have to bear.

“The media is not a target of convenience; it is a democratic institution deserving the same protection we expect for our courts, our police, and our constitutional bodies,” PRCA Malaysia said.

It also urged the authorities to act swiftly, transparently and decisively.

“The signal must be unmistakable: Violence against journalists is violence against public trust; and it will not and should not be tolerated,” added the statement.

-- BERNAMA