JOHOR POLLS | A member of former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak's entourage verbally abused a journalist who was covering him on the stump.
The incident took place two days ago in Tangkak while Najib was accompanying BN-MCA's candidate Ong Chee Siang at the Tangkak Jaya Hawker Centre.
An eyewitness told Malaysiakini that when Najib and Ong were dining, a team of Health Department officers had attempted to approach Najib's entourage.
A member of the entourage, Najib’s special officer Ahmad Lutfi Azhar (above, left), approached the officer and the journalist started taking pictures.
"When (the man, Lutfi) realised that someone was taking photographs, he approached the person who had clear media credentials displayed and asked her to delete the photographs.
"I heard the journalist refusing and asking for the person's identity. (The person in the green shirt) responded that he was Najib's aide and repeatedly said 'Najib boss saya' (Najib is my boss).
"There was some verbal altercation between them and the man used the F-word on the woman. He even drew his face close to hers. He was very arrogant.
"The journalist asked the man to keep his distance. But the man repeatedly responded with the F-word. (The altercation) ended with the two of them making phone calls," said the eyewitness.
The eyewitness said he was there to take photos but stopped out of fear after seeing Lutfi’s outburst.
Health Dept looking to fine Najib
The eyewitness said he approached the Health Department personnel in the vicinity and found out that they were trying to serve Najib a fine for an offence committed on Feb 26.
"The (man in the green shirt) was unnecessarily making a scene by stopping the reporter and scolding her.
"If Najib violated Covid-19 protocols, why cover it up? That's making a mountain out of a molehill and using the F-word on the press.
"Maybe he felt cornered, but he still shouldn't have behaved like that," he said.
This account has been corroborated by other eyewitnesses.
In a statement today, Lutfi conceded it was wrong for him to demand journalists to delete pictures of him, and offered to apologist and to have his salary this month docked.
Najib has been embarking on a very high profile campaign, often mobbed for photographs and accompanied by chants of "bossku" among supporters. - Mkini
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