Covering Lahad Datu Invasion Shaped Journalist's Courage, Commitment To Truth
By Muhamad Amir Aiman Azlan
SHAH ALAM, June 18 (Bernama) -- Before becoming a seasoned journalist with 16 years of experience, Mohd Yunus Yakkub faced one of the defining assignments of his career - covering the 2013 Lahad Datu intrusion in Sabah, a conflict he describes as a “modern war” unfolding on Malaysian soil.
For the 43-year-old Kosmo! Selangor representative, the assignment came at a time when he had only been in journalism for three years, making it one of the most demanding tests of his courage, resilience and commitment to delivering accurate reporting under difficult circumstances.
Recalling the events, Mohd Yunus said he had just been transferred to Kota Kinabalu to serve with Kosmo! Sabah when he received early reports in February 2013 about the intrusion by an armed Sulu group into Lahad Datu.
He was subsequently assigned to Felda Sahabat in Lahad Datu to report from the ground.
According to him, in the initial phase of the conflict, authorities exercised extreme caution in releasing information as security operations were still underway to determine the number of intruders and identify their positions.
“Information at that time was very limited. Even the police could not disclose much because operations were still ongoing. As journalists, we had to spend a lot of time in the field and find information ourselves,” he said when met by Bernama recently.
The Kuala Lumpur-born journalist said much of the information gathered came from police press conferences, sources on the ground and villagers living near the operation areas.
However, he stressed that every piece of information had to be carefully cross-checked and verified before publication to avoid spreading inaccurate reports that could create public anxiety.
“When I received information from one villager, I would verify it with several others. When three sources shared the same account, then we had greater confidence in using that information,” he said.
Mohd Yunus admitted that one of the biggest challenges was the uncertain security environment and the difficulty in distinguishing locals from individuals suspected of involvement in the intrusion because they blended into surrounding communities.
“We were genuinely worried during ‘sweeping’ operations because we never knew who was actually in front of us. There were times when conducting interviews in villages felt like relying on luck,” he said.
Despite the risks, he said he and fellow journalists remained determined to present an accurate picture of events on the ground to ensure the public received reliable and balanced information.
Competition among media organisations was also intense as each sought exclusive coverage, but Mohd Yunus said journalists remained mindful of professional boundaries and refrained from publishing unverified reports.
“Everyone was competing to get stories, but we still understood our limits. Any information involving security had to be verified with the authorities first,” he said.
Among the reports that remain most memorable to him were coverage of a court case involving an individual who allegedly claimed to have been recruited to attack Sabah, as well as a report titled “Budaya Balas Dendam Pengganas Sulu” (Sulu Terrorist Revenge Culture), which featured the account of a villager who claimed he had nearly been beheaded after being suspected of sharing information with authorities.
Reflecting on the experience, Mohd Yunus said the Lahad Datu assignment played a major role in shaping him into a more courageous, meticulous and responsible journalist.
“When we are confident that information is true and supported by facts, we must have the courage to report it. At the same time, every document, piece of evidence and source needs to be preserved because there may come a time when those facts are questioned again,” he said.
-- BERNAMA
