Tamil news portal Thinathanti journalist Kalidas Subramaniom, who was detained by the police over allegations of trespassing at a factory in Lunas, Kedah, was released on police bail this afternoon.
The portal’s director, Pavalaselvan Marimuthu, confirmed the matter when contacted by Malaysiakini earlier.
“Kalidas (above) was released on police bail this afternoon.
“We will discuss with our lawyers before taking any further action,” he said briefly.
Yesterday, Pavalaselvan said Kalidas was detained at the Kulim district police headquarters after turning up to give a statement regarding an alleged trespassing incident that occurred on March 26 at the Kulim Hi-Tech Park.
According to Pavalaselvan, Kalidas was at the location together with several media practitioners, activists, and NGO representatives to cover allegations involving more than 300 undocumented migrants working without valid permits.
“We are not just a blog or influencers. We are registered with the Information Department and hold official media cards. This detention is very shocking,” he said.
Report lodged by private company
Meanwhile, Kulim district police chief Zulkefli Azizan earlier today confirmed the journalist’s arrest, along with another Indian man, who is the chairperson of the Sekretariat Bahana Kesetiaan Negara.
In a statement, Zulkefli said investigations began after a security supervisor of a private company lodged a report regarding the intrusion of eight vehicles into a factory compound in Kampung Sungai Seluang.
“Two security guards on duty attempted to stop the vehicles from entering, but the instructions were ignored and all vehicles proceeded into the premises,” he said.
Police said the group was believed to have recorded videos and taken photographs of the factory area before leaving through the main gate.
‘Journalism is not a crime’
Responding to the arrest, Center for Independent Journalism (CIJ) executive director Wathshlah G Naidu reiterated the principle that “journalism is not a crime”.
“The act of gathering information at the actual site of the incident is in the public interest, particularly on issues involving communities at risk, and is a fundamental responsibility of the media.
“Arresting a journalist in the course of their duty represents a disproportionate and deeply alarming response that undermines media freedom and democratic accountability,” she said in a statement.
“While legal frameworks governing access to certain premises must be respected, they must not be applied in a manner that obstructs legitimate public interest reporting, especially not at the expense of communities at risk legitimately threatened by powerful actors.
“Conflating legitimate journalistic reporting with criminal conduct risks setting a dangerous precedent that could deter media practitioners from fulfilling their role as watchdogs,” she stressed.
As such, CIJ called on the authorities to:
Ensure that law enforcement agencies uphold the rights of journalists and respect the role of the media as the fourth estate;
Commit to guaranteeing the safety and freedom from harm of all media practitioners in Malaysia;
Prevent selective enforcement and the misuse of restrictive laws to harass and intimidate journalists from reporting on matters of public interest, especially those involving communities at risk.
So far, police said a total of 11 suspects aged between 22 and 62 have been detained in connection with the case, including nine Malay men arrested between March 27 and 28.
The case is being investigated under Section 447 of the Penal Code for criminal trespass, which carries a penalty of up to six months’ imprisonment or a fine of up to RM3,000, or both. - Mkini
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