Malaysia drama ends for ABC 4 Corners pair

A two-day ordeal for a Four Corners team ended yesterday when the two men were escorted onto a flight out of Malaysia.

Louie Eroglu and Linton Besser on their way out of Malaysia yesterday.

A two-day ordeal for a Four Corners team, which began with a Saturday night police scrum outside a mosque, arrest and a six-hour ­interrogation, ended yesterday when the two men were escorted on to a flight out of ­Malaysia.

Reporter Linton Besser and cameraman Louie Eroglu flew out of Kuching at 10.40am (1.40pm AEST) after an extraordinary overnight volte face by Malaysian officials, who had advised them late on Monday that they were to be charged with a criminal offence, only to say hours later they were free to leave the country.

Speaking from Singapore yesterday, Besser told The Australian the experience had been highly stressful and “bizarre”, right up to the time they were escorted on to the plane by a police official who used his phone to take multiple photographs of them before waving them off “There was so much back and forth. We were disturbed at being arrested and detained in the police station, then we were relieved when our passports were formally returned at a very pleasant meeting at the pool deck of the hotel,” he said. “I think it’s fair to say we were devastated to hear they were going to press charges. In the end, it was quite strange because we were all best mates with the cops who tried to bang us up.”

No explanation was given as to why authorities backflipped on pressing charges, but it is understood that the decision was made after Prime Minister Najib Razak expressed a view on the issue.

A source close to the government said yesterday: “The Prime Minister did not want to see anyone charged. Given that he was the subject of this incident, he may have felt sufficient locus standi to make his views known.

“While it was irresponsible ­behaviour by the journalists (given current security concerns in ­Malaysia) … the police and relevant public prosecutor decided to show leniency in this case.”

The Four Corners team were in Malaysia researching the multi-billion-dollar corruption scandal involving state investment fund 1MDB, including a $US681 million transfer into Mr Najib’s private ­account that he has said was a “gift” from the Saudi royal family.

They were arrested on Saturday night after earlier attempting to question Mr Najib on the issue as he campaigned in Kuching, the state capital of Sarawak, ahead of provincial elections. Sarawak police claimed the two “aggressively tried to approach the Prime Minister”, and ignored warnings not to cross a security line — allegations strenuously denied by ABC management.

The two were released on bail early on Sunday but barred from leaving Malaysia pending a decision on whether they would be charged with obstructing a public officer, which carries a maximum two-year jail term.

ABC director of news Gaven Morris said yesterday he was “glad and relieved” at the release of the two reporters, who would continue “investigating the story they are working on for Four Corners”.

“This incident has demon­strated again why it is vital to ­defend media freedom, including the right to question authority,” he added.

As the ABC celebrated, ­Malay­sian officials scrambled to save face, with Deputy Home Minister Nur Jazlan Mohamed claiming the two men had been deported for breaching immigration laws by entering Sarawak without a work permit. That was despite the Prime Minister’s media director telling The Australian journalists on short reporting trips to Malaysia were not obliged to obtain work ­permits.

Besser said there was no mention of deportation when he and Eroglu were officially advised they were free to leave the country, and no indication they had been deported in their passports. The two men paid for their own tickets out.