The hostile attitude and personal attack of PAS vice-president Idris Ahmad, and PAS MP Awang Hashim towards FMT reporter Minderjeet Kaur in an interview was shameful, disrespectful, and unprofessional. Minderjeet was merely doing her job in that interview, and their reply reflects their inability to give a rational explanation for the gaming ban, but instead resulting in bullying tactics to deflect the question.
They asked Minderjeet Kaur if she could tolerate her husband being a gambler, while the latter insisted that she ask the question in Bahasa Malaysia.
The act of bullying from a position of power is unbecoming of a minister and deputy minister, not only are they encouraging people under their influence, and the absence of consequences also indicates that this is an acceptable behaviour to emulate.
The harassment and bullying of reporters in Malaysia is not something new, and this happens more often than not towards female reporters. On example was at the Press Conference after the Prasarana LRT accident, Tajuddin berated the foreign correspondent from Phoenix TV China, asking the correspondent where she was from, and then saying “China, no wonderlah”.
I urge KKMM to look into the issue of the protection of journalists, they should not be intimidated in the performance of their duties, and their reporting should also not be subjected to harassment.
Lastly, Idris Ahmad and Awang Hashim must issue a formal apology to Minderjeet for their nasty behaviour.