Sebuah video yang memaparkan wartawan Australia Linton Bresser mengajukan soalan kepada Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Razak di Kuching, Sabtu lalu jelas menunjukkan bahawa wartawan itu tidak merempuh kawalan keselamatan seperti yang didakwa oleh pihak polis.
Bresser, yang ditugaskan menyiapkan program Four Corners terbitan Badan Penyiaran Australia (ABC) menyertai sekumpulan jurugambar dan wartawan akhbar lain mengikut Najib sebaik beliau keluar dari kereta dan menuju ke sebuah masjid di Kota Sentosa.
Najib yang pada mulanya tersenyum juga dikelilingi oleh pengiringnya, termasuk Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri Nancy Skhuri dan pihak polis.
"Hello Tuan Perdana Menteri, saya dari ABC Australia. Saya tertanya-tanya jika anda boleh jelaskan wang beratus juta di akaun anda?" soal Bresser yang tidak dihiraukan oleh Najib dengan muka selamba dan terus berjalan.
"Hello, Tuan Perdana Menteri, boleh anda menjelaskan wang beratus-ratus juta dolar dalam akaun anda? Tuan Perdana Menteri?" soal wartawan itu lagi.
Pada ketika ini, kedengaran pihak polis merungut “Apa ni? " dan dalam nada yang jengkel, melangkah untuk menyoal Bresser siapa dirinya.
Wartawan itu kemudian menjelaskan bahawa beliau adalah "hanya seorang wartawan yang hadir untuk sidang akhbar".
Rakaman selama 58 ssat itu dikeluarkan oleh Four Corners melalui akaun Vimeo bagi membuktikan bahawa wartawannya tidak bertindakl secara "agresif" seperti yang didakwa oleh pihak polis.
"Siapa engkau, apa engkau cuba lakukan? Tidak, tidak, tidak. Bawa dia pergi. Mana Jabatan Siasatan Jenayah?” kedengan suara seorang anggota polis.
Apabila Bresser menjelaskan bahawa dirinya adalah seorang wartawan, kedengaran anggota polis itu berkata: "Apa identiti kamu? Kami tidak tahu tentang kamu? Keluar."
Bresser dan pengendali kamera ABC, Louie Eroglu ditahan pada malam itu. - mk
Video of ABC reporter shows no security cordon breach...
Bresser, who is attached to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) programme 'Four Corners', had joined a group of press photographers who crowded around Najib as he got out of his car to enter a Kota Sentosa mosque.
The smiling PM was also surrounded by minders, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Nancy Shukri and police.
“Hello Mr Prime Minister, it’s ABC Australia. I’m wondering if you could explain the hundreds of million in your account?” Bresser asked, but was ignored by Najib who continued walking with a stone face.
“Hello, Mr Prime Minister, can you explain all the hundreds of million of dollars in your account? Mr Prime Minister?” the reporter asked again.
At this point, the police, who were previously heard muttering ‘Apa ni?’ (What is this?) in an irritated tone, stepped in to ask Bresser who he was.
The reporter then explained that he was “just a journalist here for a press conference”.
The 58-second footage released by 'Four Corners' on its Vimeo account showed that the journalist did not “aggressively” approach Najib, as claimed by Sarawak criminal investigation department chief Dev Kumar.
“Who are you, what are you trying to do? No, no, no. Take him away. Where is CID?” a police officer is heard saying.
When Bresser explained that he was a journalist, the police officer was heard saying: “What is your identity? We don’t know about you? Get out.”
Bresser and ABC camera operator Louie Eroglu were arrested that night.
The authorities later said the duo will be charged under the Penal Code for obstructing a public officer from doing his duty.
However, the authorities decided to deport them instead for breaching immigration law for entering Sarawak as tourists for working purposes.
Follow ethics and security protocol
Earlier, Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi explained that the arrest as a “security issue” and said foreign journalists must follow ethics and security protocol.
Bresser told the ABC said there was no security cordon at the event.
"The first time I got an instruction was after I threw a couple of questions for the prime minister to answer and the police told me to stop and step away, and that's exactly what I did.
"Louie stopped filming and we cooperated at all times with the police. There was no obstruction at all."
Sarawak Tourism Minister Abang Johari Abang Openg said the journalists should have waited for a press conference.
Media door-stops are generally not allowed for the prime minister with most journalists attempting to do so pushed aside by security personnel.
Media advocacy group Geramm in a statement defending the journalists also noted that Najib very rarely holds press conferences, especially those open to all media. - mk
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