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A
purported police video of the Bersih 3.0 rally was screened during the
Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) public inquiry yesterday, but an
officer called as a witness could not verify its authenticity.
A secretariat member of the inquiry panel said the police had handed over the footage.
Panel chairperson Khaw Lake Tee (right) then asked ACP Mohamad Zulkarnain Abd Rahman, to confirm whether or not the clip was from the police.
“I can’t verify whether it was or not,” Zulkarnain said, when the question was posed again after the video was played.
Zulkarnain, who was the Dang Wangi OCPD and in command of the Dataran Merdeka area at the time of the electoral reform rally on April 28, said he had not seen the video being shown at any police meeting.
The hour-long clip has been marked for later identification and will only be considered as evidence if a witness can attest to its authenticity.
The police logo is shown at the beginning and the end of the recording, which is a compilation of short clips of key events before and during the rally. It begins with the ‘Occupy Dataran’ protest by students two weeks earlier.
The clips are generally of high quality, being sharp and clear, and captions are included as to when and where each incident took place.
The Bersih 3.0 events recorded include the arrival of coalition and opposition leaders at landmarks around Dataran Merdeka, incidents involving protestors and the police, and the alleged destruction of property after the rally.
In one scene, Bersih steering committee member Wong Chin Huat is heard announcing that the rally was a success and telling everyone to disperse, at what appears to be Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman.
Just as he finishes, a police vehicle appears in the background, along with scores of protestors attacking it.
The footage then cuts away to a much closer shot of a police vehicle - apparently the same one as in the previous scene - being attacked, with various projectiles being thrown at it.
As
the recording goes on, it becomes apparent that it was the infamous
incident outside the Sogo department store that is being depicted, where
a police car crashed into four protestors.
In a separate scene entitled ‘Incident between protestors and police at Lorong Masjid India’, protestors and police are shown hurling projectiles at each other in the narrow alley, until the situation is quelled by some members of both sides.
Also caught on camera is PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim apparently gesturing just prior to the breach of the barriers at Dataran Merdeka.
Some shots show protestors - who do not resist arrest while being taken away - being slapped by passing police officers or being kicked. In one scene, the camera is turned away just as a group of officers knock down a protestor.
‘Content heavily edited’
Bersih observer Daniel Albert, who was at the inquiry, said the video was heavily edited.
“It is quite clear that, given the testimony of victims who have come before the panel, there had been numerous instances of police brutality,” he explained to the panel.
“(But) there are hardly any instances of police brutality depicted (in the video). It is quite clear that the content heavily favours the police.”
He asked the panel to give due consideration to the fact that there have been no complaints of police being hindered in documenting the rally, while there had been many allegations that the police had hampered protestors and journalists.
Albert, cross-examining Zulkarnain (left), showed 10 video clips depicting alleged police brutality.
He asked if Zulkarnain is prepared to apologise for the incidents, as he was the ground commander that day.
The witness replied that it would be better if the apology comes from a higher ranked officer.
“It is clear that (the police) did not obey the orders and briefings given. (My opinion is that you could) take these videos and your complaints to the disciplinary committee to help identify (those responsible) for appropriate action to be taken,” he said.
Albert then asked if Zulkarnain could take the clips back and return to the panel with a name- list of those caught on camera, as well as those of their officers.
“God willing,” replied Zulkarnain, who is now deputy director of the CID inspection division.
The proceedings will continue on Oct 8.
A secretariat member of the inquiry panel said the police had handed over the footage.
Panel chairperson Khaw Lake Tee (right) then asked ACP Mohamad Zulkarnain Abd Rahman, to confirm whether or not the clip was from the police.“I can’t verify whether it was or not,” Zulkarnain said, when the question was posed again after the video was played.
Zulkarnain, who was the Dang Wangi OCPD and in command of the Dataran Merdeka area at the time of the electoral reform rally on April 28, said he had not seen the video being shown at any police meeting.
The hour-long clip has been marked for later identification and will only be considered as evidence if a witness can attest to its authenticity.
The police logo is shown at the beginning and the end of the recording, which is a compilation of short clips of key events before and during the rally. It begins with the ‘Occupy Dataran’ protest by students two weeks earlier.
The clips are generally of high quality, being sharp and clear, and captions are included as to when and where each incident took place.
The Bersih 3.0 events recorded include the arrival of coalition and opposition leaders at landmarks around Dataran Merdeka, incidents involving protestors and the police, and the alleged destruction of property after the rally.
In one scene, Bersih steering committee member Wong Chin Huat is heard announcing that the rally was a success and telling everyone to disperse, at what appears to be Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman.
Just as he finishes, a police vehicle appears in the background, along with scores of protestors attacking it.
The footage then cuts away to a much closer shot of a police vehicle - apparently the same one as in the previous scene - being attacked, with various projectiles being thrown at it.
As
the recording goes on, it becomes apparent that it was the infamous
incident outside the Sogo department store that is being depicted, where
a police car crashed into four protestors.In a separate scene entitled ‘Incident between protestors and police at Lorong Masjid India’, protestors and police are shown hurling projectiles at each other in the narrow alley, until the situation is quelled by some members of both sides.
Also caught on camera is PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim apparently gesturing just prior to the breach of the barriers at Dataran Merdeka.
Some shots show protestors - who do not resist arrest while being taken away - being slapped by passing police officers or being kicked. In one scene, the camera is turned away just as a group of officers knock down a protestor.
‘Content heavily edited’
Bersih observer Daniel Albert, who was at the inquiry, said the video was heavily edited.
“It is quite clear that, given the testimony of victims who have come before the panel, there had been numerous instances of police brutality,” he explained to the panel.
“(But) there are hardly any instances of police brutality depicted (in the video). It is quite clear that the content heavily favours the police.”
He asked the panel to give due consideration to the fact that there have been no complaints of police being hindered in documenting the rally, while there had been many allegations that the police had hampered protestors and journalists.
Albert, cross-examining Zulkarnain (left), showed 10 video clips depicting alleged police brutality.He asked if Zulkarnain is prepared to apologise for the incidents, as he was the ground commander that day.
The witness replied that it would be better if the apology comes from a higher ranked officer.
“It is clear that (the police) did not obey the orders and briefings given. (My opinion is that you could) take these videos and your complaints to the disciplinary committee to help identify (those responsible) for appropriate action to be taken,” he said.
Albert then asked if Zulkarnain could take the clips back and return to the panel with a name- list of those caught on camera, as well as those of their officers.
“God willing,” replied Zulkarnain, who is now deputy director of the CID inspection division.
The proceedings will continue on Oct 8.
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