ABC’s Four Corners - Crossing Lines?

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s Four Corners programme reporter Linton Besser and camera operator Louis Eroglu were detained on Saturday in Kota Sentosa, Kuching following an attempt to question the Prime Minister. Investigated under Section 186 of the Penal Code - for obstructing a public official - the journalists were accused of acting aggressively. The Deputy Prime Minister was reported as saying “it was not acceptable conduct for journalists covering prominent figures” and they had violated local journalists’ code of ethics. Today we try to reframe the issue in terms of regional trends in terms of access to official, as well as the evolving dynamic in Australia-Malaysia diplomatic relations.