It noted that the assailants fled without taking any belongings, suggesting that the motive was rooted in harassment rather than theft.

“Haresh has served the media industry for 25 years, and this is the first physical attack he has faced.

“The timing and context, therefore, raise grave concerns about the shrinking space for independent reporting and critical commentary,” the group said in a statement today.

PEN Malaysia urged the authorities to investigate the assault thoroughly, transparently, and without delay, and to identify not only the attackers but anyone who might have ordered or coordinated the incident.

“Anything less risks normalising violence against journalists and weakening public trust in the justice system,” it added.

Haresh was reportedly assaulted yesterday afternoon by two men in Bangsar, while a third filmed the attack on a mobile phone. Brickfields police identified three suspects and arrested one in Cheras at 2am today.

Haresh spent 25 years reporting on governance and accountability and co-founded news website Twentytwo13 with Pearl Lee. His recent work includes investigative reporting on Malaysian sports, particularly governance issues and the national football team’s naturalisation scandal.

The Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ), which also condemned the assault, said the incident underscored broader concerns for the overall environment in which journalists are expected to operate.

“We condemn, first and foremost, violence of any kind against any person, especially media practitioners who carry out a public service.

“Additionally, we hope all relevant authorities take every reasonable action to preserve a safe environment for all journalists in Malaysia, in light of the troubling nature of this situation,” CIJ executive director Wathshlah G Naidu said in a statement today.