The Media Council of PNG (MCPNG) has condemned an attack by the supporters of a former politician in the precincts of the National Courts at Waigani yesterday.
While the MCPNG understands that the employers of the journalist who was the target of the attack have filed an official complaint with the police, it is deeply disappointed by this primitive act of violence against a messenger of the news.
“The media, and journalists, are not beholden to any individual, regardless of their standing or reputations as members of parliament,” says MCPNG President, Neville Choi.
“If you are in a position of public service, and your conduct, regardless of whether it was private or public, sees you answering to a court of law, in a publicly-accessed hearing, you must expect that your public standing will attract scrutiny,” says MCPNG President Neville Choi.
The MCPNG President says too often Papua New Guineans in positions of power and public authority, use those positions to avoid or assert blame on the messenger, rather than acknowledge their own shortcomings.
“If leaders, past or present, feel that they have been wronged in any way by the media, there are laws that they can utilize to seek redress. To resort to violence, whether directly or indirectly, only displays why they do not deserve to be called leaders,” Mr Choi said.
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