SOME politicians are putting on different hats and hiding behind non-governmental organisations to attack those who do not agree with them, including the media.
Datuk Ridzuan Abdullah, the president of the deregistered NGO called Ikhlas, has just taken the blame-the-media game to the next level.
He isn’t just blaming the media for his predicament, he’s accusing them of sleeping with his enemy.
Recently Ridzuan called for a press conference to air his and Ikhlas’s grievances with a local construction and infrastructure company.
At the press conference, Ridzuan was asked by the reporters about his on-going court case on an MACC charge
In January 2023, Ridzuan was charged with filing fraudulent claims with the Social Security Organisation (Socso) to obtain incentives from the Penjana Kerjaya 2.0 Program totalling RM378,000.
He was alleged to have submitted documents with inaccurate salary information.
The charges against Ridzuan were made under Section 18 of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009.
The media had also subsequently reported on the deregistration of Iklhas on Nov 24, 2022 by the Registrar of Societies.
Ridzuan took umbrage with all these relevations. And called those reporters (or the media they represent) “talibarut” (lackey) of the company that he and his NGO were targetting.
For someone who unabashedly bragged that “I’ve been involved in NGOs for more than 20 years”, Ridzuan has demonstrated a shocking lack of understanding of – and regards for – what we reporters and media do.
It is the reporter’s job to ask questions and check and double check to make sure that they are reporting facts.
When you call for a press conference, you better have the answers to their questions. Facts, not mere allegations.
We don’t want to be sued for defamation or report fake news.
Reporters are not assigned to attend your press conference so that they can admire your 20 years of NGO work.
They have a job to do.
They ask questions. Sometimes, tough questions.
So the press conference meant to “expose” a company instead backfired as the media turned their focus on Ridzuan and Ikhlas. As it appeared to us that the accuser has more questions to answer.
In his anger and desperation, Ridzuan took to social media on June 21 to attack the reporter who had asked him those tough questions.
More than 40 years in the media , I’ve had great regards for NGOs and the people who lead them.
But over the years, we read about and witnessed some kind of decline: more than a couple of them and their office bearers have been dragged to court for indiscretions and misdemeanours.
Legitimate NGOs are keeping their distance. Among them the influential Muslim Consumers Association of Malaysia (PPIM) whose president Datuk Nadzim Johan said PPIM was unaware of Ikhlas deregistration.
The media will continue to ask difficult questions and probe, especially if we feel we are not getting the right answers.
People like Ridzuan best remember that. – June 30, 2025
Datuk Ahirudin Attan also known as Rocky Bru is President of the National Press Club of Malaysia.