Seized Malaysiakini video tampered with by Malaysian Police

The videotape recording of the Nov 9 candlelight vigil in Petaling Jaya, Selangor which was seized by police has been found to have been tampered with.

The videotape and video camera were seized by police at the tail-end of the vigil, held to protest against the Internal Security Act (ISA) and commemorate the first anniversary of the Nov 10 Bersih rally, when 23 participants were arrested.

Malaysiakini videographer Shukri Mohammad, 28, was also arrested. He was later freed on police bail and is required to report back to the Petaling Jaya police station on Nov 24.

Police returned the videotape and video camera to Malaysiakini on Tuesday evening. Upon viewing the 36-minute clip, a total of three minutes and 42 seconds of visuals from the vigil were ‘missing' in two instances.

The first instance was at the 10 minute and 54 second mark of the tape, when footage of Selangor police chief Khalid Abu Bakar telling vigil participants to disperse was abruptly overwritten with new footage.

May have legal implications

The new footage appeared to be filmed inside a police vehicle by the front passenger.

Three minutes and 36 seconds later, the original footage appeared again, this time depicting riot police in front of Amcorp Mall where the vigil participants were gathering.

The second tampering occurred 10 seconds later at the 14 minute and 40 seconds mark, where visuals of the riot police in formation were overwritten with footage of a clothing cabinet which lasted for about six seconds.

The contents of the 'missing' footage has yet to be ascertained.

Shukri yesterday made a report at the Jalan Travers police station on the tampered videotape as it could be used as evidence should he be charged in court.

"We are not accusing the police of tampering with evidence as there is the possibility that the footage could be accidentally overwritten when it was in police possession," said Malaysiakini editor-in-chief Steven Gan.

"Nevertheless, the police should treat potential evidence with the utmost care and not go around playing with our camera."

Andrew Ong
malaysiakini
21/11/08