Cops deny UTK officers roughed up journos at PN event

 

Police have denied that any of its Special Action Unit (UTK) officers had roughed up media personnel at a Kelantan Perikatan Nasional event yesterday.

However, Royal Malaysia Police secretary Noorsiah Mohd Saaduddin assured that a probe will be carried out and that any security personnel who had acted out of line would face stern action.

“Investigations are underway to determine the individuals involved in the incident," she said in a statement tonight.

Police were responding to allegations by Gerakan Media Merdeka (Geramm) that three media members had been manhandled while they were trying to photograph a launch gimmick to mark PN's formal establishment in Kelantan.

According to them, a male reporter was purportedly hit in the abdomen while a female journalist was reported to have been gripped at the neck.

Another journalist was also shoved and prevented from approaching PN leaders.

It was unclear whether the same individual roughed up all three, but at the time it was believed to be either the bodyguard of a PN leader or a UTK officer.

Meanwhile, Noorsiah said that police respect the media's role to inform society and hoped that close ties between the two will be maintained. - Mkini