Chapter 2 - Report of the Complaints, Monitoring and Inquiries Group (ii) The findings The Panel, after examining the testimony and evidence, was of the opinion that the reports, especially those published by the mainstream media, had depicted Bersih 2.0 as a movement that would create chaos. There were also efforts by several parties to deny Dato’ Ambiga a platform to express her views. The Panel found that the news reports were neither neutral nor balanced on the issues or purpose of the Bersih 2.0 assembly. Many reports were one-sided and did not provide comprehensive information to the public.2 The media also did not provide any proper assessment of issues. The Panel said it acknowledges and respects the freedom of the media to publish news or views. However, it is the responsibility of the media to publish news that is fair and substantiated. The media should be neutral in its reporting and provide full information on news or events without favour to any party. Coverage should not be biased, partial and prejudiced. In this regard, the management of media organisations, in particular editors, should be more conscious of the role of the media and should always ensure the veracity of information before publishing it. The Panel also took note of the media’s function to report on and document events of public interest. It said all facts regarding issues should be published to help the public to arrive at their own judgment. In this regard, the media has an important role in enabling society to make a correct assessment of any matter or issue, by providing information that is true and accurate. The Panel reiterated the Commission’s view that media practitioners should be ethical and professional in fulfilling and exercising such responsibility.3 Similarly, the rights of individuals to personal safety and to be free from all forms of intimidation should be taken into account in media reports. Any information that could jeopardise a person’s safety, such as home addresses or telephone contact numbers, should not be disclosed. (c) Alleged Infringement of Human Rights During the Bersih 2.0 Assembly (i) The testimony A number of participants were arrested during the assembly and several suffered injuries allegedly caused by the direct actions of police personnel. The accounts of witnesses Hanafi Hawari, Yap Jee Kit, Fayyadh Afiq Akbakqry and Muhammad Sabu were corroborated by other witnesses, photographs and expert testimony of medical personnel. 2 Exhibit 39, Report of the Public Inquiry Into the Infringement of Human Rights Including the Use of Excessive Force Prior to and During the Assembly on 9 July 2012 A Case for Media Freedom: Report of SUHAKAM’s Workshop on Freedom of the Media, pp10-11 3 66