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Utusan duo let off with a warning

Saturday, 27 August 2011 08:55am

©The New Straits Times (Used by permission)
by Rita Jong

SHAH ALAM: Utusan Malaysia's editor-in-chief and a reporter were let off with a warning not to publish comments relating to the ongoing Banting murder trial.

High Court judge Datuk Akhtar Tahir, who summoned Datuk Abdul Aziz Ishak and Raja Syahrir Abu Bakar yesterday, warned them not to do it again or he would not hesitate to take action.

The Bahasa Malaysia daily had published an article which was said to be sub judice entitled "Manjeet Selalu Memburukkan Kerajaan" last week.

Counsel Manjeet Singh Dhillon made an application to summon the newsmen to court to explain their article.

Akhtar said: "I summoned you both to inform you that you should not have published this article and make comments on the ongoing trial.

"Some of the applications you touched on, I haven't even made my decision. Do you know you are not supposed to write or discuss about the case?"

Raja Syahrir, who had been with the daily for four years, said "yes".

Akhtar: So you knew but you still published it anyway?

Raja Syahrir: I thought it was fair comment and did not know that it would lead to contempt of court.

Aziz, who said he had been with the publication for 27 years, also said he had no intention to be held in contempt.

Akhtar pointed out that the two newsmen were not even present during the proceedings, adding that what they reported was inaccurate.

"You want to discuss or comment the matter at a coffee shop, go ahead but you cannot publish it in the newspapers," he said, adding they could only report what transpired in court.

He said the article not only attacked Manjeet but also the court, making it look like the court could be used as a political arena.

He added Manjeet could take action against the newsmen in his personal capacity.

"I'm going to just let the both of you off with a warning. The media must take note. If this is repeated, I will not hesitate to take action."

Akhtar added that since the reporter Raja Syahrir confirmed that his report was based on quotes from Padang Serai member of parliament N. Gobalakrishnan, he would also summon the MP to explain his comments.

N. Pathmanabhan, 42, T. Thilaiyalagan, 20, R. Matan, 21, and R. Kathavarayan, 31, are charged with the murders of Datuk Sosilawati Lawiya, 47, driver Kamaruddin Shansuddin, 44, CIMB bank officer Noorhisham Mohamad, 38, and lawyer Ahmad Kamil Abdul Karim, 32, at a farm in Tanjung Sepat, Banting between 8.30pm and 9.45pm on Aug 30 last year.

Hearing will resume on Sept 12.

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