JOHOR BARU, Sept 9 — The Johor police will start an internal investigation into the case of two women journalists who alleged they were harassed by a minister's escort officer during the coverage of the two by-elections campaign last week.
Johor police chief Datuk Kamarul Zaman Mamat said a witness to the incident has been called to give his statement.
“We have opened an internal investigation first where a witness to the alleged incident has been called to record his statement, prior to a full police investigation.
“Investigators are also expected to call a few others as part of the process.
“So, it is up to them if the alleged victims feel it is necessary to lodge a police report, but the police will continue our probe first,” said Kamarul Zaman to reporters after visiting the Pulai parliamentary by-election vote tallying centre at the Dewan Jubli Intan Sultan Ibrahim here tonight.
He was commenting on the alleged physical harassment of several journalists by members of a minister’s security detail last Tuesday.
Also present was Johor deputy police chief Deputy Commissioner M. Kumar and Johor Baru South police chief Assistant Commissioner Raub Selamat.
Yesterday, it was reported that Johor Media Club president Mohamad Fauzi Ishak said that the alleged physical harassment involved three media personnel, where two were identified as female journalists and a male photographer.
He said that a staff of the security detail accompanying the Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail had allegedly touched or brushed the hand of a journalist, while another was pinched.
“The sole male photographer had his camera roughly pushed aside by a member of the minister’s security detail,” he said.
