Police arrest suspect over attack on veteran journalist

The individual suspected of attacking veteran journalist Haresh Deol was arrested early this morning and is being remanded for three days.

Brickfields police chief Hoo Chang Hook confirmed that the Criminal Investigations Department arrested the individual in his late 30s at his home around 2am.

“The suspect is unemployed, and his motives (behind the attack) appear to be personal. The case is still under investigation, so we urge all parties to refrain from speculation until the investigation is complete,” he said in a statement today.

The Kuala Lumpur Magistrate’s Court granted the remand order from today until Nov 28 to assist with investigations.

Haresh, co-founder of online news portal Twentytwo13, posted on X yesterday that he had been assaulted by two individuals in Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur, in broad daylight.

Another perpetrator had also allegedly recorded the incident on video.

Haresh had since lodged a police report, and his wife described the incident as a “first” throughout Haresh’s 25-year career in journalism.

He reportedly sustained injuries to his face, hands, and body while attempting to escape from the perpetrator.

Yesterday, Hoo confirmed that the case was being investigated under Section 232 of the Penal Code.

Cowardly attack

National Press Club (NPC) president Ahirudin Attan strongly condemned the assault on Haresh, who is also the NPC deputy president.

He described the attack as “cowardly and feudal”, and urged the police to investigate “without fear or favour”.

“If this attack is an attempt to scare off journalists, it must be dealt with seriously. The media is an institution like the police force and the royalty. We need to safeguard it at all costs.

“I urge the police to investigate this case without fear. We need to get to the bottom of this incident. It is not just about one person, but about the media institution,” he said in a statement last night.

Ahirudin also reminded that the case should not simply be dismissed as “no further action”, like the acid attack against Selangor FC football player Faisal Abdul Halim last year.

Calls for immediate probe

Former Klang MP Charles Santiago also expressed his concerns on the matter.

“An attack on a journalist is an attack on freedom of expression. When reporters are not safe, truth becomes negotiable, and democracy weakens.

“Press freedom isn’t abstract. It’s the right of the public to know. Violence against journalists is a warning shot at every Malaysian who depends on facts over fear,” he said on X.

Charles reaffirmed his support for Haresh and expressed concern that the assault might be allegedly linked to Haresh’s critical stance on the citizenship controversy involving the International Federation of Association Football (Fifa) and the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM).

He stressed that the incident should prompt an urgent, independent inquiry and be viewed as a threat to democratic space rather than simply a criminal matter, adding that safeguarding journalists is essential to protecting the public interest.

Two media groups had also denounced the assault and stressed how the intimidation of media workers erodes the press freedom that a democratic nation must uphold.

Gerakan Media Merdeka (Geramm) and the Malaysian Media Council said any form of violence against media practitioners must be viewed with utmost seriousness.

Geramm also demanded an immediate police probe into the incident, stressing that urgent action must be taken to safeguard the safety of media personnel when reporting on matters of public interest.

Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil also called for an immediate investigation and said he had contacted Haresh to obtain further information.

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