Next time anyone’s unhappy with what a journalist writes, just pay someone to beat up the journalist

On Nov 25 last year, Haresh Deol, a journalist, was beaten up in broad daylight by three individuals. The incident sent a chill down our spine. When people start physically attacking journalists to silence them, something is rotten in our democracy. Even PM Anwar Ibrahim condemned the attack on Haresh. 

The police made one swift arrest (which was gread) but one senior cop made a queer remark that the attack was “personal”. That cop never repeated it but neither did he back up his theory or speculation with credible evidence. 

Today, after nearly two months, a magistrate sentenced the one culprit the police nabbed to a RM2000 fine. No jail. The other two suspects were never brought to justice.

The message, if you ask me, is clearly this: If you’re not happy with what a journalist write, dont bother trying to give your side of the story or engage a PR to set the record straight. Just hire some goons to beat up the journalist, take a video of the attack, make it seem like it was a mistaken identity. The life of a journalist is that cheap.

Man fined RM2,000 for assaulting sports journo in Bangsar

Man fined RM2,000 for assaulting sports journo in Bangsar

R Krishnan previously pleaded guilty to attacking sports journalist Haresh Deol in Bangsar on Nov 25 last year.

R Krishnan was charged under Section 323 of the Penal Code with voluntarily causing hurt, which carries a jail term of up to one year, a fine of up to RM2,000 or both upon conviction.

KUALA LUMPUR:

 A 37-year-old man was fined RM2,000 by the magistrates’ court here today for attacking sports journalist Haresh Deol in Bangsar last November.

Magistrate Aina Azahra Arifin handed down the sentence on R Krishnan, who pleaded guilty on Nov 28 to charges of assaulting Haresh.

Krishnan, along with an unnamed suspect still at large, committed the offence outside the Tanjung Balai Group premises at Jalan Telawi 3 on Nov 25.

The charge was framed under Section 323 of the Penal Code for voluntarily causing hurt, which carries a jail term of up to one year, a fine of up to RM2,000 or both, upon conviction.

Meanwhile, Haresh said the case was not over yet as another suspect remained at large and the investigation was ongoing.

“I will leave it to the police. If they call me again after the other suspect is arrested, I will cooperate,” he added.

Haresh, a senior journalist and co-founder of the Twentytwo13 news website, previously rejected claims by the police that the attack was motivated by a “personal issue”.