Letter to Editor
MARCH 6, 2025 stands as proof that no one can escape the judgment of the law.
On this date, the Court of Appeal rejected the final appeal of a former assistant manager of the English-language newspaper The Star, who was found guilty of accepting a RM20,000 bribe—allegedly to be given to an officer of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) as an inducement to close his case.
He was sentenced to 10 months in prison and fined RM100,000.
I do not wish to dwell too much on this case, as details can be easily found through public web searches. However, this case serves as evidence that the law must be upheld regardless of who is involved.
More recently, the media industry was shaken by the arrest of a journalist from a local English-language news portal by MACC. According to MACC’s statement, he was caught receiving a RM20,000 bribe in a sting operation.
As a citizen concerned about corruption issues, this news caught my attention, particularly because some parties have attempted to frame the journalist as a victim of MACC’s alleged oppression.
According to MACC’s press statement, he was arrested for accepting bribes in exchange for not publishing a report about a complainant he had accused of being linked to a migrant syndicate.
This case should be viewed in a broader context—no one is exempt from the law if they are involved in corruption. While media freedom is an essential pillar of democracy, it should not be used as a shield to protect those who abuse their positions for personal gain.
MACC has a responsibility to combat corruption, regardless of the status or background of those involved. Any claims that MACC acted unfairly in this journalist’s case should be examined rationally and based on facts.
Corruption does not discriminate—anyone found guilty, whether a journalist or a senior newspaper official, must face appropriate consequences.
I hope society views this issue objectively and understands that fighting corruption is a collective responsibility.
Ultimately, I trust the legal system to uphold justice, to uncover the truth of the matter. If it is indeed true that the journalist received bribes, this should serve a lesson to the media industry.
After all, the ones who suffer reputational damage are ultimately the media organisations themselves. – March 10, 2025
Ahmad Akmal,
Selangor
The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia.
