Penang Watch

Cameras are seized to cover up police's ugliness?

Malaysiakini videographers Sukri (among the 23 arrested)got his camera taken away by the Police at the PJ Civic centre while I, representing Penangwatch, also lost my handicam to a police who arrested me. This is a wider pattern where the police tried to stop people from taking photos or videos of their violent suppression  of the anti-ISA and anti-unfair elections vigil at PJ Civic Centre. Will it start a new trend where photo and videographers would have their equipments seized by the police to help the police cover up their ugliness? Something to ponder as we use media power to counter the use of force by the state power.

When I tried to recover my camera after being bailed out the police played a cat and mouse game by denying that they had any record of my seized camera. They sent me to the official enquiry counter to find out what they themselves already know. Finally they said the cameras are now `evidence' to the possible court cases-so they won't let me take back my cameras while the court cases are being considered-which means may be for months the cameras would be out of actions!