Penang PKR has accused Malay weekly, Berita Minggu, of spreading malicious lies about Bersih Rally 2.0 with the aim of instilling fear.
GEORGE TOWN: Malay weekly, Berita Minggu, must apologise to the Malaysian public for publishing a doctored photograph showing the image of a masked youth rioting with a knife during the recent Bersih 2.0 rally in Kuala Lumpur.
Demanding that the paper issue a written and oral apology, Penang PKR Youth said the paper deliberately deceived the public into thinking that the Bersih rally was a scene of violent rioting.
It also demanded that the weekly immediately withdraw the photo image from its website.
Berita Minggu is a weekly version of Berita Harian which is published by New Straits Times Press Bhd.
The photo image was published in Berita Minggu on July 10 under an article titled “KL Tegang” (Tense in KL).
In a statement today, Youth deputy chief Syed Mikael Rizal Aidid said a close perusal of the doctored picture disclosed that the youth, clad in a T-shirt and pants, was actually carrying a Malaysian flag, not wielding a knife.
“We also demand that Berita Minggu stop publishing anymore such doctored photo images and articles that could cause tension and violence in this country,” Syed Mikeal said.
He hoped Berita Minggu would comply with the wing’s three demands immediately and uphold its professional integrity and ethics.
“Berita Minggu should stop becoming an agent for powers-that-be to manipulate and manoeuvre the people,” said Syed Mikael, who is also the Tasek Gelugor PKR division Youth chief.
He alleged that Berita Minggu had graphically edited the original photo image by omitting the image of the Malaysian flag. The flag rod in the youth’s right hand was camouflage to look like a knife handle.
Syed Mikael also accused Berita Minggu editorial of intentionally spreading malicious lies about Bersih Rally 2.0.
“The editorial intention was clearly to create tension, instill fear and provoke the people.
“It wanted to deceitfully portray Bersih rally as a violent demonstration,” he said.
Syed Mikael reminded the newspaper that Malaysians were still reeling from the effects of a cartoon published by Berita Harian, which made unsavoury jokes about Japan’s tsunami catastrophe.
“That cartoon gave a negative international impression of Malaysia and now this,” Syed Mikael said.
He reminded Berita Harian and its weekly off-shoot Berita Minggu that being the oldest newspapers in the country, the periodicals should be a role model for other media publications.
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