The National Union of Journalists Malaysia has urged police to arrest leaders of the anti-Bersih group over the harassment of several journalists who covered the Bersih 5 convoy in Kuala Selangor last Saturday.

NUJ vice-president Chin Sung Chew, who lodged a police report today on the matter, said no media should be harassed while carrying out duties.

"We just want to emphasise that we, on behalf of the media, feel that while we carry out our duties, we should not be disturbed by any party," Chin told reporters outside the Brickfields district police station in Seri Petaling today, while stressing that NUJ neither supports the 'red-shirts' nor Bersih supporters. 

Also present was NUJ exco member Basir Abu Bakar.

NUJ general secretary Schave Jerome De Rozario said the police must do act to avoid a recurrence of the incident, particularly ahead of the forthcoming Bersih 5 rally on Nov 19.

"We want to tell the police to take action against these people.

"Don't simply say they will push them away (at the scene) or try to ease the situation. Because it is going to grow into an even larger, bigger problem," De Rozario said.

While stressing that all Malaysians have the rights to assemble and protest, De Rozario insisted it must be done in a peaceful manner and that journalists should not be harassed or threatened for performing their duties.

Asked whether NUJ had specifically asked for action to be taken against Jamal, he said: "We don't know who, but there must be a leader behind them. Go after the leaders."

"These are just some of the minions running around.

"They may not be wearing a red shirt but they are harassing the people," he stressed.

Jamal was overseas at the time of the incident but later he reportedly apologised, although he insisted that the final blame lies with Bersih.

A Malaysiakini photographer was called 'Cina babi' (Chinese pig) and roughed up while recording images of several members of the group.

Three reporters from The Star covering the Bersih convoy at its pit stop near a local retail outlet were also accosted and manhandled by members of the same group.