A Warisan press conference in Parliament was interrupted by a brief exchange between some reporters and Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Mohamaddin Ketapi over an incident earlier today where he allegedly scolded a few photographers.
Sabah Chief Minister Shafie Apdal had called for a press conference in Parliament over a court decision on the Musa Aman case where he was accompanied by all Warisan ministers, including Mohamaddin.
"Before any further questions, we just want to get an explanation from the tourism minister, why did he call the media 'rubbish' and 'idiot' while we were doing our jobs?" asked a reporter during the press conference.
"When did I say that, rubbish and idiot? I didn't say that, you better listen properly, I didn't say that," Mohamaddin (photo) replied to the reporter.
Another reporter then asked him to clarify what he said.
"You prove it to me that I said that (rubbish and idiot)," Mohamaddin, who is also Silam MP, said.
Meanwhile, Shafie and International Trade and Industries Minister Darell Leiking tried to steer the press conference back on track by asking whether other reporters had any other questions.
The argument petered off when the press conference shifted to the topic of cabinet reshuffle, to which Shafie said it was the prerogative of the prime minister.
Several photographers from different news organisations claimed that about an hour before the press conference, they were taking pictures of Mohamaddin as he was walking in the Parliament lobby when he approached and scolded them.
"I got (scolded) first. He (Mohamaddin) asked, 'Why are you taking my picture?', and then he said 'you better get lost'. (He sounded) serious. I was, of course, scared when he suddenly came up to me," said one of the photographers who was from an online portal.
"I told him I was just (taking the photos) for stock."
Two other photographers said Mohamaddin approached them after that as they were taking photos of him and they heard him say, "What rubbish".
However, the photographers said they were not sure what he was referring to when he said that.
Mohamaddin's press secretary called the photographers after the media conference to apologise.
Mohammadin came out to speak with reporters again later to clarify what happened and insisted that he never uttered the words "idiot" or "rubbish".
"I remember only one photographer who came up to me taking my pictures and then I told him. That's it, but I never said rubbish, I never said idiot.
"I mean such a person like me calling people idiot and rubbish, that is not me you see.
"I mean it is simple. If I did, I say yes. If no, then no," he said.
However, he acknowledged that he did tell a photographer "I think you better get lost".
"I did ask why he was chasing me? Then he took my picture, so I said why are you taking pictures?
"I wanted to go to the washroom and he still wanted to take pictures. So I said stop it 'I think you better get lost'," Mohammadin said.
The pictures by the photographer when the exchange purportedly happened do not appear to have been anywhere near the washroom. - Mkini
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