Cops: Media intimidation case not NFA but 'refer to magistrate'

The police have denied that they are washing their hands of a recent incident which saw an altercation between a news portal's journalists and a security guard at the Urban Transformation Centre (UTC) in Kuala Lumpur.

Dang Wangi police chief Noor Dellhan Yahaya said the police did not dismiss the case as “no further action”, or NFA, but instead classify it as “refer to magistrate” (RTM).

"We put the case as RTM, not NFA. Police have recorded statements from both sides and following the investigation, we decided to RTM the case for their action.

"Both sides can refer the police reports that they have lodged to a magistrate for further action," he told Malaysiakini.

When asked to explain further why the police decided to refer the case to the magistrate, Dellhan said he will issue a press statement to clarify the matter soon.

‘No criminal element’

Earlier this morning, news portal The Vibes published an article expressing shock over the police's decision to refer the case to the magistrate.

It quoted Dellhan as saying that no one was assaulted and police found no criminal element in the incident on Saturday.

"There is no criminal offence involved, no elements of crime, and no one was assaulted. As such, the complainant can refer the case to the magistrate for civil action," he was quoted as saying.

The portal highlighted that the police made the decision in less than an hour after investigators recorded a statement from the journalists involved.

It also pointed out a report from one of the journalists on being manhandled and having her cell phone seized in the incident.

In the incident on Saturday, a security officer was caught on a video yelling at two journalists from The Vibes who had been interviewing people in long queues at the Immigration Department at the UTC.

The guard spewed verbal intimidation in asking them to leave but things escalated when he realised he was being recorded which prompted him to snatch the phone belonging to one of the journalists.

He later returned the phone after being chastised by members of the public. - Mkini