The turnout at a Sarawak United People's Party ceramah at the parking lot in front of Servay Supermarket in Miri's Pelita Commercial Centre last night was really poor.

This, despite MCA deputy president Liow Tiong Lai being touted as a key speaker.

The ceramah drew only some 50 people as at 7.45pm, leaving the site looking deserted, even though it had started with speeches from local leaders.

The Malaysiakini reporter covering the ceramah used a smartphone to take photographs, attracting the anger of a bespectacled man in his 30s, claiming to be a SUPP supporter, who tried to snatch the smartphone.

The Malaysiakini journalist, despite having worked long hours over the past few days, was alert and thwarted the man's attempt.

The man, who introduced himself as "Michael", then grabbed the reporter's hand and asked for Malaysiakini 's "motive for publishing the photos".

He conceded that "not many were attending the ceramah " and demanded that the photographs taken to be deleted.

The Malaysiakini journalist turned him down. The SUPP supporter then adopted a softer approach, saying he wanted to "make friends", obviously hoping that the journalist would acquiesce to his request. 

If the reporter refused to cooperate, he threatened, it would "offend many people".

'Have a drink with me'

The Malaysiakini reporter subsequently moved away, and walked into the supermarket to buy a bottle of drinking water.

The man followed, gave our reporter a hug and made a "have a drink with me" invite, only to be rejected by the reporter, who advised him to respect people at work.

The harassment stopped only when the incident attracted the attention of a number of bystanders.

In Miri, the state seat of Piasau is seeing a tough fight between incumbent and SUPP president George Chan Hong Nam and DAP novice Ling Sie Keong.

Political observers feel Chan, who has been holding the seat for the last seven terms, could lose it as a result of the growing strong sentiments rising in the state's major cities against Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud.

In a related development, Chan, at a press conference yesterday afternoon, reprimanded Malaysiakini for "unfair" reports and for "not following journalistic ethics".

Chan was unhappy with a Malaysiakini report of his shouting match with patrons in a Miri coffee shop, saying the it was only with one senior citizen, not "a few people" as reported.

He also reminded the Malaysiakini reporter present not to "pre-judge", adding, "if you write rubbish, we will have witnesses. I tell you."