Malaysian Media Council condemns harassment and threats against journalists

KUCHING (Jan 15): The Malaysian Media Council (MMM) strongly condemns all forms of doxxing, harassment, intimidation and threats against journalists.

The council said such actions place media practitioners at risk, violate their privacy, safety and basic human rights, and undermine the fundamental role of journalism in a democratic society.

“No journalist should be subjected to personal harm or intimidation, regardless of disagreement over their work,” it said in a statement.

The statement was issued in light of Free Malaysia Today’s (FMT) public apology and clarification following its internal review into the recent matter involving one of its reporters.

MMM said it acknowledges the steps taken by FMT to address the issue and to publicly account for its handling of the situation, in line with principles of transparency and editorial responsibility.

At the same time, the council underscored the importance of journalists upholding critical thinking in their reporting, including in the framing of questions and narratives.

“Such critical inquiry must be grounded in thorough preparation, in-depth research, and careful analysis of the issues being covered,” it said.

Equally important, MMM emphasised that the responsibility for maintaining these standards does not rest solely on individual journalists but also on newsrooms and media organisations.

This includes providing proper training, guidance and a strong editorial culture that supports responsible journalism while avoiding a climate of fear or self-censorship among journalists, it said.

MMM also urged all parties to exercise restraint and for cooler heads to prevail.

“Questioning experts, public figures and stakeholders in public or open settings is a legitimate and well-established journalistic practice.

“Concerns regarding journalistic conduct should be addressed through professional, proportionate and constructive channels, rather than through public vilification or punitive reactions directed at individuals,” the council pointed out.

As an independent statutory body established to uphold media standards and accountability, MMM said it stands ready to offer its good offices to facilitate dialogue or mediation between the parties concerned, should this be appropriate.

On Wednesday, FMT issued the apology after one of its reporters posed a question during a public lecture that was believed to have carried racial overtones.

The media organisation said the incident occurred during a public lecture featuring United Kingdom politician George Galloway titled ‘Gaza Exposes the Complicity of International Actors’ held on Monday.