Speaking to FMT, Suhakam commissioner Jerald Joseph said police preventing the media from doing their job was an “old practice in Malaysia”, which he had hoped never to see again.
“The police preventing the media from providing any coverage on the strikes, or from even being there, should not have happened.
“I think we should not go down that road again. Even if you try to stop the media, the public will know about it from social media – so there’s no point.
“You might as well allow them to cover as they (media) will provide coverage from both sides,” he said, adding that all Malaysians have the right to know what is going on.
Police were present at several major hospitals today as groups of contract doctors delivered on their promise to stage a walkout as part of the Hartal Doktor Kontrak strike.
The strike, to demand a fair career path and for contract doctors to be offered the same benefits as medical officers in permanent positions, began at 11am.
Some 50 doctors walked out of Hospital Kuala Lumpur (HKL), where they were observed by some 30 police officers, who later told the media to leave the area.
At the Malaysia Agro Exposition Park Serdang (MAEPS) integrated hospital in Serdang, the media were taken into a hall by a member of the Hartal Doktor Kontrak group, where they were able to take photos and videos of the junior doctors on strike there.
However, a policeman who arrived shortly after told the media that they had to leave the venue as only the Selangor information department was allowed to cover the strike.
There were around 40 medical officers (MOs) who went on strike by holding up placards demanding justice for junior doctors, a pathway to pursue specialisation, and stating that their protest was prioritising patients.
Earlier today, Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani said he did not have any information that the strike would threaten public order.
Stressing that the doctors’ have a right to demonstrate as it is a “legitimate form of expression”, Jerald said that Acryl Sani’s stance on the matter was a “good way to move forward”.