Teo slams 'desperate, childish' PAS over doctored photo claim

DAP national publicity secretary Teo Nie Ching has slammed “desperate and childish” PAS for claiming an iconic 1998 photograph of Anwar Ibrahim was doctored.

She said she felt sorry to see how far the Islamist party has gone, in order to attack the prime minister’s leadership.

“Just because they (PAS) want to win the online debate, the party’s official mouthpiece (HarakahDaily) suddenly started a slander claiming the photo of Anwar raising his hand to his supporters was edited.

“This is purely to raise the profile of (Kedah caretaker menteri besar) Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor, who copied the said pose after he was charged in court the other day.

“The claim by Harakah is childish and puts the journalism profession to shame,” Teo said in a statement today.

The communications and digital deputy minister noted that the ‘Reformasi’ movement that followed Anwar’s arrest, and his ‘black eye’ incident have been well documented, even by global media outlets, and witnessed by thousands of his supporters.

Kedah caretaker menteri besar Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor

She added that PAS’ move to make the incident political fodder is an insult to the legacy of then PAS president Fadzil Noor, who was on the frontline of the ‘Reformasi’ movement.

“Is it that easy for PAS to change history for the sake of populist social media political benefits, that they can pass off slander as an ‘exclusive exposé’?

“Don’t they know that media practitioners can do fact-checks to establish the authenticity of the photo?” she asked.

Apologise to all Malaysians

Teo then urged Harakah to apologise to veteran media practitioners who witnessed the incident, as well as to the photographer who took the photograph - Ed Wray of the Associated Press (AP) - for slandering his work.

“Not only that, Harakah has to apologise to Anwar and all Malaysians for this banal attempt to fool the public.

“Harakah’s editorial lineup and the PAS leadership should all repent and stop slandering people through technology,” she said.

Earlier today, AP rejected claims that the photograph of Anwar, taken outside the Petaling Jaya court on Sept 30, 1998, was doctored.

“We believe the photo in question to be accurate and not manipulated,” AP global news manager Fisnik Abrashi told Malaysiakini in an email.

Yesterday, Malaysiakini fact-checked Harakah’s claim and found that the photo was authentic. - Mkini