Explain use of edited videos as evidence during trial, C4 tells MACC

 

The Center to Combat Corruption and Cronyism (C4 Center) urged MACC to clarify its position on using edited videos as evidence in investigations.

This followed the anti-graft agency's attempt to tender edited TikTok videos as evidence in a corruption trial against former prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin, which appeared to contradict MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki's statement last year that edited videos cannot be used as evidence.

C4 Center chief executive officer Pushpan Murugiah said while the attempt to submit the TikTok videos should not be criticised, it showed a double standard on MACC's part.

"In any court case, the authenticity of any evidence is generally a matter to be proved. Even if videos are edited, they may possess probative value that the court could rely upon if the videos are deemed relevant and admissible.

"Thus, the attempt to submit edited TikTok videos in this case should not itself be criticised.

"However, it does cast significant doubt on Azam’s prior position on the Sabah scandal videos, which were deemed unusable and not credible due to being edited.

"Given this contradiction, C4 Center believes that the MACC should make a public statement clarifying their position on the use of edited videos as evidence in investigations," he said in a statement to Malaysiakini.

Pushpan Murugiah

Pushpan added that such a double standard would reflect poorly on MACC's credibility and risks eroding public trust on the agency further.

Malaysiakini has reached out to MACC for comment.

In December 2024, businessperson Albert Tei released full video recordings implicating 15 Sabah assemblypersons in a mining exploration licence application scandal.

Despite that, only former lawmakers Andi Suryady Bandy and Yusof Yacob had been charged in court to date.

‘Friends with the corrupt’

Meanwhile, NGO Liga Rakyat Demokratik criticised MACC and the federal government over the commission's "inconsistency".

Its president Hamdin Nordin said the attempt by MACC to submit edited videos as evidence in court showed a pattern that further strengthened their doubt on the government's war on corruption.

"The current government claims it wants to fight corruption, but what we see is that it is actually friendly with groups implicated in corruption issues in order to maintain power.

"Going by the logic of what happened in Sabah... only two Sabah assemblypersons have been charged so far, while the rest have faced no action.

"Even more worrying was that Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim cooperated with Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) in the recent state election, despite the party being implicated in a major corruption scandal in Sabah," he said.

Hamdin Nordin

Hamdin said they, however, were not surprised with the incident.

According to the activist, this was why the group had fought against Azam and do not want to see MACC being used as a political tool.

Hamdin then urged Azam to step down and for the government to place MACC under the purview of the Parliament.

During the start of Muhyiddin's corruption trial yesterday, his defence team grilled a MACC officer after he testified that he was instructed to download two videos from TikTok as evidence.

The two videos were then played in the court.

Muhyiddin’s counsel Amer Hamzah Arshad then questioned the prosecution witness, whether he was aware of Azam stating last year that edited videos cannot be used as evidence. - Mkini