I refer with dismay and sadness on the type of media reporting practiced against Tan Sri Abdul Halil Mutalib, the retiring director-general of the Customs and Excise Department. The media, led by the New Straits Times , seems to have become prosecutor, judge and jury over a story that they broke, leveraged and now participate in passing judgment.

They want the Customs DG to be suspended, when Parliamentarians have committed worse 'verbal offences' and gotten away scot free, without punishment right there in Parliament. Where are discretion, honour and valour in all such reporting?

All investigative reporting must describe the real problem with facts and figures, explain the causes and sources, evaluate the real incident, and then prescribe the way forward. Allow me to argue against the injustice practiced in this case and on poor reporting standards practiced by the media against Tan Sri Abdul Halil Mutalib.