Journalists have right to attend Zahid’s daughter’s court case, says group

Journalists should have been allowed to attend the court hearing against Nurulhidayah Ahmad Zahid and her husband Saiful Nizam for breaching the movement control order (MCO), said the group Gerakan Media Merdeka (Geramm).

The journalists’ group said at least five reporters who were present at the Putrajaya Magistrate’s Court to cover the case were told to leave without clear explanation, although some members of the public were allowed to remain in court.

“We believe that the couple's perceived influential status should not be taken into consideration in any decisions made.

“As a result, information which could have been obtained directly had to be solicited from the deputy public prosecutor in charge after the hearing was over.

“If not having direct access to information continues to become a norm, journalists risk misquoting or are not able to present neutral and reliable information,” the group said in a statement today.

The group cited Section 15 of the Courts of Judicature Act 1964, which stipulates that court proceedings should generally be open and public, and members of the public may have access.

“We would like to stress that all journalists have the same rights as anybody from the public to be present in a courtroom for purposes of covering the case, except for proceedings held in chambers or on camera for safety reasons,” the group said.

Earlier today, Nurulhidayah and Saiful pleaded guilty to charges of breaching Regulation 3(1) of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases (Measures within the Infected Local Areas) Regulations 2020.

Nurulhidayah is the daughter of Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

They were accused of travelling from Kajang to the Environment Department in Putrajaya at 9am on April 20, and were fined RM800 each for the offence.

Under the regulation, offenders could be fined up to a maximum of RM1,000, jailed for up to six months, or both, upon conviction. - Mkini