The Nov 25 daylight assault on Haresh Deol – deputy president of the National Press Club (NPC) and co-founder of Twentytwo13 – captured on camera, reported widely and now under police investigation, is more than a crime against one man. It is a violent affront to press freedom and the safety of media personnel in Malaysia.
Such attacks strike at the core of a democracy’s ability to hold the powerful to account, inform the public and protect citizens’ access to accurate, independent information. This shocking incident is also a direct assault on press freedom – an environment in which journalists must be free to work without fear of violence or reprisal.
In a democracy, violence – or even the threat of violence – against journalists impairs citizens’ ability to make informed choices. It undermines accountability, transparency and the rule of law.
Journalists, by virtue of their work, serve the public interest. When they are threatened, attacked or intimidated, it is no longer just a personal matter – it becomes an issue that strikes at the core of democratic accountability.
In this case, it is a public and premeditated act. The assault occurred while Haresh was not on assignment, but had just finished a meeting – yet the act conveys a broader message of intimidation. The perpetrators remain unknown, and that ambiguity threatens all media practitioners.
Under Article 10(1)(a) of the Federal Constitution, every citizen has the right to freedom of speech and expression. This constitutional protection extends to the press: journalists and media organisations are entitled to report information, hold opinions and disseminate ideas without fear of retribution.
The right to freedom of opinion and expression is recognised globally. Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) protects “the right to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.” An attack on a journalist for doing precisely that constitutes a breach of international human rights standards.
Physical assault on a journalist also raises human rights concerns – particularly the right to personal security, protection from violence and intimidation, and the preservation of the public’s right to information.
When journalists are attacked, this fundamental freedom is curtailed not by law, but by fear. It undermines their ability to carry out their duties freely, which in turn undermines democratic accountability, transparency and the right to information for all citizens.
The assault on Haresh is antithetical to basic human rights principles. By failing to protect media personnel, the state – or society – risks failing to guarantee these fundamental rights. In such circumstances, authorities and regulatory frameworks – such as the Malaysian Media Council (MMC) – must ensure that attacks on journalists are taken seriously, investigated promptly and perpetrators brought to justice.
Only then can journalists perform their role as watchdogs of society: fearless, independent, responsible.
Under Malaysian law, the physical attack on Haresh is clearly covered by criminal offences in the Penal Code (Act 574). Section 351 defines “assault” as any gesture or preparation intended or likely to cause a person to apprehend that criminal force will be used.
Section 352 provides penalties for using criminal force other than on grave and sudden provocation, punishable by up to three months’ imprisonment, a fine of RM1,000 or both.
Since Haresh sustained actual bodily injury, the more serious offence of “voluntarily causing hurt” under Section 323 of the Penal Code is relevant. Police have confirmed that investigations include Section 323.
But beyond the immediate criminal offence, the attack sends a chilling message to all media personnel that reporting, especially on sensitive or controversial issues, may invite physical danger. In that sense, it functions as a de facto threat against free expression.
When a journalist is attacked for doing their job, others may self-censor or avoid certain topics out of fear. This undermines journalism’s role as “the Fourth Estate” – the press as an essential pillar of democracy.
A free press is essential for accountability, transparency and informed public discourse. If such assaults go unpunished or are inadequately addressed, it emboldens perpetrators. The safety of media professionals becomes precarious, eroding press freedom in practice.
Thus, the assault on Haresh must be viewed not just as a criminal incident, but as part of a broader systemic threat to press freedom and democratic rights.
