TV3’s responsibility to share information with public — Counsel

KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court here yesterday was told that television station TV3 had the responsibility to share information with the public, particularly news reports related to national interest and security.

TV3’s counsel Liew Teck Huat submitted that it was normal for media organisations to report news that were of interest to the general public.

“In this case, TV3 played its role in broadcasting news on the intrusion in Lahad Datu based on the news reports published by the Utusan Malaysia newspaper,” he said, adding, the media was not an investigating agency but had the responsibility to channel news to society.

Liew said this in Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s suit against TV3 on the intrusion in Lahad Datu, Sabah.

Anwar’s counsel Datuk S. Ambiga however submitted that TV3 did not practise responsible journalism when airing the news linking the former opposition chief to the tragic incident in Lahad Datu.

“The television station also failed to seek any confirmation with Anwar before airing the news in Buletin Utama on March 2, 2013,” she said.

She said the news were “fake news” as Utusan Melayu (M) Berhad had earlier as a defendant in the suit admitted that two articles published by its newspaper linking Anwar with the intrusion in Lahad Datu were baseless.

Justice Datuk Ahmad Zaidi Ibrahim set May 14 for ruling.

On March 8, 2013, Anwar sued Utusan Melayu; Utusan Group editor-in-chief Datuk Abdul Aziz Ishak; TV3; Media Prima Bhd Television and Radio Networks, News and Current Affairs, group managing editor Datuk Shaharudin Abd Latif; and Buletin Utama news editor Ing Boon Seng.

In his statement of claim, he referred to Utusan Melayu’s publication of an article on its front page under the heading, ‘Ketua Pembangkang dikaitkan dengan pencerobohan?’ and another article on page nine under the heading, ‘Tiga kumpulan menjadi dalang’, dated March 2, 2013.

The former Permatang Pauh member of parliament alleged that TV3, between 8 pm and 9 pm the same day on Buletin Utama also aired news on the intrusion in Lahad Datu based on Utusan Melayu’s reports.

On Oct 5, 2016, Anwar settled the case with Utusan Melayu and its editor-in-chief Datuk Abdul Aziz Ishak after both parties reached a compromise.