PETALING JAYA, January 15 — Free Malaysia Today (FMT) has issued a public apology after one of its journalists posed a question perceived to have racial overtones during a public lecture by UK politician George Galloway titled “Gaza Exposes the Complicity of International Actors” on January 12.
In a statement released on January 14, FMT said it had no prior knowledge of the journalist’s intention to raise the question and did not approve of the remarks, which were later criticised on social media and denounced by Galloway at the forum.
FMT said it launched an internal investigation immediately after the issue surfaced online on January 13, resulting in disciplinary action against the journalist, with the process still ongoing. The organisation clarified that, contrary to claims circulating on social media.
The journalist did not use the word “apartheid” during the forum, but acknowledged the sensitivities involved in the question raised.
Signed by Executive Chairman Nelson Fernandez and Managing Director Azeem Abu Bakar, the statement stressed that FMT does not condone racially sensitive lines of questioning and regrets the distress caused to the speaker, organisers, attendees, and the public.
FMT reiterated its commitment to responsible journalism and sincerely apologised for the incident.
