‘Sorry’ for tense atmosphere

KANGAR: Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim has apologised for the tense political scenario in the state that led to two reporters being assaulted on Wednesday.

He promised such an incident would not be repeated.

“I am in the midst of pacifying some members in the party who have different views and opinions, and I promise the matter will be settled within a week,” he told reporters at a luncheon for the media and state Barisan Nasional leaders here on Thursday.

He said that there were certain functions reporters that could attend, while there were some closed-door sessions for important discussions.

“But beginning next week, I promise that all functions will be open to the media,” he said.

He was commenting on the incident where four men reportedly assaulted two reporters when Shahidan was delivering a speech at the Beseri Barisan Nasional operations room in Padang Besar on Wednesday.

The suspects involved in the assault, aged between 27 and 53, were arrested after Harian Metro stringer Rashidi Karim, 41, and Berita Harian state representative Adha Ghazali, 30, reported to police that they were assaulted by a group of people outside the ceramah hall.

--THE STAR