SEBERANG PERAI (Aug 4, 2008) : A 25-year-old female press photographer was roughed up by some PKR officials while attempting to take pictures of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim at a ceramah here on last night.Loh Hoay Hoon of Guang Ming Daily was punched, kicked and held by the neck in the event at the Seberang Jaya expo grounds here.
"I was bewildered and confused," Loh told theSun today.
"All I was doing was taking some shots of Anwar before he left the grounds. I don’t understand why they had attack me like this," she said, choking with tears and still visibly traumatised.
"All I was doing was taking some shots of Anwar before he left the grounds. I don’t understand why they had attack me like this," she said, choking with tears and still visibly traumatised.
Loh said afterr the ceramah had ended, she wanted a few shots of Anwar getting into his car.
However, an unidentified man, believed to be an Anwar bodyguard, stopped Loh and pushed her aside, she said.
"I told the man ‘saya hanya buat kerja saya’ (I'm just doing my work)," she said.
She remembered hearing something like "Jangan kacau, jangan buat susah di sini." (Don't disturb, don't cause trouble here.)
Then she found herself being hit and held by the neck by the man and several others, as she was leaving the grounds.
PKR state secretary Abdul Malek Abul Kassim expressed regret over the behaviour of the official, adding that stern action would be taken by the party to prevent a recurrence.
Most party officials who act as guards were PKR members and not trained professionals, he added.
On July 15, during the televised debate between Anwar and Information Minister Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek, three photographers were roughed up by security personnel hired by AgendaDaily, the organiser of the debate.
Source: Battle of Permatang Pauh begins...
Malaysiakini reported that: "The Malaysian Chinese Photojournalist Association (MCPA) is exploring the possibility of boycotting all future PKR events to protest the party's attitude towards press photographers."
"In a statement today, MCPA said that the latest incident involving PKR security personnel manhandling a photographer showed that party leadership has failed to control their officers despite previous complaints being made.
"The association said that it has on several occasions raised their concerns of photographers to PKR and that the latter had promised to take steps to resolve the matter.
"MCPA deeply regrets that PKR's top leadership has failed to look into their shortcomings and allowed similar acts of violence to be perpetuated. This is highly unprofessional," said the statement."
Source: Photographers may boycott PKR
Whether it is Umno or PKR, it is scary! They are so fierce and so strong. They can beat up anyone they think they like to beat up. Is this the Ketuanan Thing? It looks like one, sounds like one, and may be one!
I wonder if Pakatan Rakyat and PKR would go public and apologised to the reporter and promised that such incident will not happen again; or, they actually preferred such!
UPDATE:
Anwar's office issued a statement expressing regret over the incident.
The statement said that an investigation was being conducted on the matter, adding that the party held the media in high esteem and appreciated the coverage of their party events.
"We will try our best in avoiding such incidences in the future," added the statement.
In another statement, PKR information chief Tian Chua said that party president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail had personally contacted Loh on the phone to express her regret over the incident.
A delegation of PKR leaders from Penang has also visited Loh at Guang Ming Daily.
Source: Malaysiakini.com
The statement said that an investigation was being conducted on the matter, adding that the party held the media in high esteem and appreciated the coverage of their party events.
"We will try our best in avoiding such incidences in the future," added the statement.
In another statement, PKR information chief Tian Chua said that party president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail had personally contacted Loh on the phone to express her regret over the incident.
A delegation of PKR leaders from Penang has also visited Loh at Guang Ming Daily.
Source: Malaysiakini.com
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29 comments:
Biasalah. PKR memang ganas, sukakan keganasan. Penyokong pun ganas, bodyguard Anwar pun ganas, Anwar lagi la ganas. Tu yang Saiful tak terdaya melawan Anwar tu masa 'kejadian' tu...
waahhhh! violent act done by PKR's supporters.where do these guys put their head on?at their buttocks?
such incident should not happened.perhaps the "bodyguard" became overzealous and hitted the photographer.poor woman.she's just doing her job.
dont wanna go near PKR supporters la after this. :P
is his supporter already so fierce, neither do i want to go near anwar.
he might just come behind my back for don't know what reason..leh.
scarry...
The leadership of DSAI reflects his goons deeds. Now tell me again who is bad guys here? The press might just boycott them for their misdeed. Shame on you PR.
we can except if they want to boycott certain mainstream media.
but to beat and hit them physically?
no.that's intolerable.that's not professional.Anwar should have some words with his supporters about being ethical.
Insiden ini tidak harus terjadi. Walaupun PKR mungkin nak boikot media arus perdana, tapi tidak semestinya menghadapi mereka dengan menggunakan keganasan. Ini menunjukkan betapa ekstrem dan taksubnya 'bodyguard' Anwar sehingga sanggup bertindak luar batasan. Susulan insiden ini, jangan terkejut jika ada suara sumbang mengatakan bahawa 'bodyguard' Anwar diupah oleh orang tertentu sebagai cerita murahan...
tindakan yang keterlaluan.
dengan perempuan pun mereka sampai hati nak berkasar?
bukannya reporter tu nak pergi simbah Anwar dengan apa-apa.
Dia buat kerja saja, ambik gambar. Buat laporan. Bukan kah si Anwar tu suka publisiti, kenapa pulak tetiba tak nak.
Keterlaluan
It is a bad situation to have happened, nonetheless, we have to also admit that PKR(even Wan Azizah) is humble enough to call the reporter personally to apologize. It takes more courage to admit wrong and I think PKR knows this and fully takes responsibility of it, and that we should also take into considerations.
I think in this case, PKR did a better "job" in diffusing the situation as compare to Badawi's Administration, those guys are worse, they a the "untouchables" and they do not need to apologize one.
Anyway, it takes a lot of courage for a leader to admit wrong, and when one is given we should in return forgive but make sure this incident should not repeat again.
Maverick
Be patience. All you know the guy that held Loh neck in Green Cap not even a PKR member, but a Special Branch of some Organization.
Careful especially with people wearing Cap on their head; thats to cover themselves from full-blown recognition.
At critical situation like 95% percent running the new Government, no way PKR going to spoil its reputation, except if some agent provocateur is in place.
Also, all you know the GuangMing Daily Reporter is also part of the Game.... need to check her past record too.
I guess we can expect more such "bad" publicity to derail PKR in the run-up to the by-election.
After the "Saiful" bombshell, can PKR afford to be so careless?
Permatang Pauh is an interesting barometer to gauge the cooperation of Pakatan Rakyat members.
We shall see how committed DAP and PAS members are to the "cause". Anything less will make a mockery of Anwar's ability to form the government come September.
Mankanan,
Ini memang tak biasa.
hey ho!,
You were right to posed the head and buttock illustration.
Scarry,
You are a good joker.
Bluesheep,
You said rightly. I hope PKR leaders will publicly apologize!
from ashes rise,
You have my greatest respect for your view.
Mahyudin,
"Bodyguard" itu memang bodyguard Anwar.
Bluementos,
Saya respect pandangan awak. Memang tak betul perangai si besar tu.
Toolan,
You have a good observation and advice.
Tai-Choon-Toi,
You must be so damn faithful and blinded by your support for on person such that you were even prepared to put up a conspiracy theory about the Green Cap guy.
He is Anwar's man and Anwar had apologised for it.
It is sad that political sympathizers are willing to sell their souls and closed their brain and this is what the citizens are unhappy about with the BN. With your lines of argument, you are no different with those goons in BN.
Anak Merdeka,
I do not agree that is bad publicity. It is bad and bad enough and it is PKR that must act to prove to the people that the people are the boss who elected them or who will elect them. We don't need those samsengs!
The reporter strangled herself and should go PUSRAWI for a complete physical XMn.
ZERO
ZERO,
I like your suggestion! But why Pusrawi? It should be appropriate at HKL.
Maverick
Check this out... http://sloone.wordpress.com/2008/08/05/agent-provocateurs-at-work-in-permatang-pauh-already/
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Agent provocateurs at work in Permatang Pauh already?
5 08 2008
I believe some of those in Anwar Ibrahim’s party can be overzealous at times. They go all out to protect their “supreme” leader, at whatever cost. But then, it should not be at the expense of innocent parties.
These people can be quite annoying. I experienced it myself at the party’s headquarters in Petaling Jaya. They can be quite rude. They do not know that a little manners can get them quite far.
At a time when the party needs all the support it can get, we hear stories of violence against photograhers?
Embarassing, and only legitimises Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar’s claim that we need more police in Permatang Pauh. See earlier post.
On Sunday night, Guang Ming Daily Loh Hoay Hoon, 25, was allegedly kicked, choked and hit on the head by a group of PKR security personnel. She was allegedly assaulted by a group of men who tailed her at the carpark after a ceramah by PKR supreme leader Anwar Ibrahim in Seberang Jaya, Penang (Malaysiakini).
But PKR is saying that the men who allegedly assaulted Loh was not from the PKR camp. Like I said earlier, could this be ‘agent provocateurs” at work already in Permatang Pauh?
PKR’s Tian Chua has issued a statement saying that the party regrets and condemns the incident.
That the party has investigated the matter and found that the man who allegedly assaulted Loh was not a member of the Security Squad. The party’s Chief Security, Mazlan Mohd Zaid, confirmed the matter.
Tian Chua said that it was probably planned by ‘certain’ parties to create chaos in a gathering which saw about 30,000 participants; and that the party was willing to assist the police invstigation in locating this ‘mystery man’.
He furthered said that it was unlikely that it was the party’s men who did it, as they had always welcomed the press, to cover their events.
PKR was committed to a peaceful and will ensure the safety of the people, particularly, the press, so that the incident will not repeat.
Party president Wan Azizah Wan Ismail has contacted Loh, and assured her that the incident would not happen again.
I do not know if by now, Loh has accepted the apologies. She has lodged a police report and the Malaysian Association of Chinese Photographers is planning to boycott PKR’s campaign. Seems like these incidents have been repeatedly happening?
MCPA deeply regrets that PKR’s top leadership has failed to look into their shortcomings and allowed similar acts of violence to be perpetuated. This is highly unprofessional,” said the statement.
PKR really has to buck up and be more vigilant when it comes to things like this. All eyes are on Permatang Pauh and their ’supreme leader’.
Extra care must be taken to protect the people who are attending those PKR events, not Anwar Ibrahim.
As any opportunity to show PKR as a violent party is on the top agenda of those who do not wish to see Anwar become MP of Permatang Pauh.
It's time for PKR to whip some discipline into those bullock heads.
Next time assign one PKR bodyguard per photojournalist. Problem solve.
tai chon toi,
OOi, susan loone is pkr wannabe. she was suppoise to be given a seat to contest.
dun believe, u just scan thru her posting, she looks like, sounds like Anwar's PA. means Saiful ex-colleague lah:)
Anwar is still anwar, same lah, look at his body guards, especially after the victorious 8 March 2008 results, getting arrogant oredi. That is only PM0in-waiting. If PM, same lah like the current BN leaders lah.
Melampau betul mereka ni. Dah laa perempuan, agak2 la. Kalau betul pun tak suka media arus perdana, pakai lah otak tu, tak payah la sampai pukul, cuba orang pukul kakak ko, marah tak? Kenapa buat perangai macam orang dah takda otak, ni lah jadinya kalau dah taksub sangat dengan Anwar, otak pun hilang entah kemana. Sampai tak boleh berfikir. Tahniah, ini lah budaya yang dibawa Anwar, budaya keganasan, budaya berdemonstrasi, budaya yang mengganggu keamanan. Esok kalau betul dia jadi PM habis hancur negara dengan budaya keganasan yang dibawanya..
Tai Choon Toi,
I have read her piece. I don't accept all those excuses. This is not the first time this guy beat this girl. Previously he had done it and PKR had not acted nor denied that. Why now claim it.
Hasilox,
I agree!
Optional,
Jangan naik marah; nanti darah tinggi.
Kekadng repoter pun lebih2, sikap macam VVIP, tidak ikut peraturan, kalau ditegor sikit melapor yg bukan2, sebenarnya BATU API.
Batu Putih
what happen to the Kelana Jaya MP Low Gwo Burne?
He was bashed up by another PKR's ADUN aide?
PKR seems quite an aggresive and arrogant species.
Mereka memang ganas based on previous incidents. Nak ambil gambar pun susah
BN Cabinet, boleh duduk semeja and kerumun tak ada pulak kena gasak
hehe
I would have expected to see the pictures splashed on the frt pages of MSM. How come?
Btu Putih,
tetapi reporter tu kena tumbuk? Ini sikit sikit ka?
Prevention better than cure,
That issue is closed.
Warrior2,
Ini bukan ahli menteri atau MP; ini melibat budak samseng - bodyguard!
Artchan,
Well, it was in the news.
harap-harap lepas ni takde la lagi komplen dari mana-mana pihak pasal penyokong atau "bodyguard" pukul orang lain."bodyguard" tu pun satu hal.belum lagi Anwar jadi PM dah tunjuk lagak.andaikata kalau Anwar jadi PM tak tau lah pulak macammana nanti.
Kesian juga tengok reporter tu. Bodyguard tu pun, macam la bagus sangat.. Nasib baiklah hari ni PKR dan memohon maaf...
tak maw keganasan,
Tak da komplen lagi lah; terima saja lah keganasan dan tumbukan.
Hamdan,
Nasib baik juga? Di tumbuk itu pun nasib baik?
Mav, anda tidak faham statement saya tadi. Apa yang saya maksudkan ialah Menteri, TPM and even PM pun boleh dikerumuni oleh siapa saja termasuk reporters all the times AND YET they dont get whacked by the body guards
Warrior2,
Thanks for the clarification and I apologise for the misunderstanding of your points. I am sorry.
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