BUTTERWORTH, MALAYSIA - Reporters and photographers covering the Permatang Pauh by-election have been getting a nasty reception since nomination day and they have a "scary" week to go before polling day.

To avoid any untoward incident, the media fraternity has been playing safe when dealing with locals and election workers, although they have been constantly jeered at while on their rounds.

Many of them chose to ignore provocation despite name-calling and being verbally abused.

The attack on photographers Siren Nafiz, 26, of Berita Harian and Halim Berber, from the HBL Press News in France, on nomination day, has taught the journalists not to get involved in any commotion with rowdy people who do not welcome them in Permatang Pauh.

With politicians criss-crossing the constituency to meet voters, the pressmen have to think of their safety and valuable equipment while rushing to catch up with the politicians' fast pace and tight schedule.

A photographer from The Star had a taste of the nasty reception after covering a visit by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak in Permatang Rawa on Sunday.

Not wanting to be identified, the photographer said he was on the way to his car when a group of youths hurled verbal abuses and jeered at him.

"I ignored them but they continued to provoke me. I was alone and there were about six of them at the time," he said.

"It was about 5pm. I drove off and I could still hear them jeering at me."

A similar experience was faced by a reporter from The Star on her way to cover a ceramah by Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in Bukit Jelutong, near Permatang Pasir, on Sunday night.

After identifying herself, she asked for permission from a man controlling traffic to drive in since the ceramah site was about 1km away.

The man yelled at her: "Nak kena tabuh ka? (Do you want to be whacked?)"

Fortunately, the reporter was a local girl and a kampung friend saw her and allowed her in.

Speaking at a press conference yesterday, PKR information chief Tian Chua said the party would investigate the case involving Siren and Halim, adding that disciplinary action would be taken against the perpetrators if they were found to be party members.

"I express regret over the incident and have informed our security personnel to recognise all the pressmen covering the by-election.

"Earlier PKR-organised events proceeded smoothly, and I am surprised why pressmen were attacked during the Permatang Pauh by-election campaign," he said.

"Police should investigate the case because I feel that the attack was aimed at tarnishing PKR's image."