THE media must be allowed to do its duty of reporting wrongdoing, Kepong MP Lim Lip Eng told PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang today.

The DAP lawmaker was responding to Hadi’s accusation that the media was smearing Islam’s image by reporting cases of crime in religious schools.

“Hadi’s accusation is unfair as the majority of media outlets in the country are doing their duty to serve verified news to the rakyat,” Lim said in a statement today.

“Also, revelations of crime can stop more people, especially children, from becoming victims of crime.”

On Tuesday, Hadi accused the media of purposely playing up crimes committed by religious figures.

“If the story is about things happening in religious and tahfiz schools involving an ustaz, imam or any religious figure, it gets played up.

“It’s as though if one buffalo is covered in mud, the entire herd gets the blame.

“But when people who are irreligious and lack religious understanding commit evil, it gets covered up and even defended. They serve the devil’s army,” the Marang MP wrote on Facebook.

Lim asked if PAS had allowed crimes to go unreported when the Islamist party was in government.

“Did Hadi or PAS protect and allow such perpetrators, regardless of their religious standing, to carry on with their criminal activities?” he asked. – May 30, 2024.