MCMC quizzes photographer on Bersih shot

The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission has questioned a Suara Keadilan photographer on the pictures she took during last month's Bersih 2.0 rally.

Yusriah Yusof (left) was questioned for close to an hour about a photograph of Anwar Ibrahim's bodyguard Fayyadh Afiq Albakqry's bloodied face, resulting from a hit by a tear gas canister during the rally crackdown at the KL Sentral underpass.

She was accompanied by lawyer Fadiah Nadwa Fikri, who said the questioning of Yusriah was an attempt to harass media personnel for reporting on police abuses during the July 9 rally.

"This is the kind of intimidation and harassment that is not going to stop... they are trying to suppress facts and truth over what is happening in Malaysia," Fadiah said.

Yusriah was summoned by the MCMC under Section 255 of Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 to assist in its investigation.

Four MCMC officers were present during the questioning, which was led by Mohd Khairul Abdul Kadir.

Fadiah said the officers refused to divulge who had filed the complaint or what the investigation was about, other than referring to the photograph of Fayyadh.

The investigation revolved around the photograph, published by The Malaysian Insider, which was provided with it by Yusriah.

"They asked me if I took the photograph, if it was authentic and how it ended up on Insider, and if I had received any payment.

‘MCMC officers threatened me’

"I said it was normal for friends to swap (photographs). They also asked who else I gave the photograph to, but I could not remember," Yusriah said.       

Earlier, Fadiah said MCMC officers had demanded to take a statement from her as well if she sat in during her client's questioning.

"Two officers came in and they were shouting at me, they said if I don't give a statement, they’ll report me to the police.

"They said, ‘don't talk about the law in this office, this is our office, you have no right to talk about the law. If you want to talk about the law, you go to court’," Fadiah (left) said.

However the lawyer remained adamant and stayed with Yusriah throughout the interview.
                       
Fayyahd’s photograph that is the subject of investigation is the one with his cheek bone shattered when tear gas canisters fired by police hit his face. He later underwent reconstructive facial surgery.

Fayyahd had since made a police report over the incident and gave his statement to police on July 27.
           
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