E Contrario

My office received a call from Sentul police on Monday (13 August), the caller claimed to be from Commercial Crime Division and intended to take a statement from me. I was in Bangkok then and only responded to their request when I returned on Tuesday.

I agreed to meet the investigating officer on today (16 Augsut Thursday). The police proposed to come to my office instead of me going there. I guess the reason for their kindness was that they might want to avoid be a small crowd gathering outside the police station, and that was fine with me.

A officer came to KeADILan HQ at Brickfields this morning. He introduced himself as ASP Shahrisal Md Deris. He looked youngish—probably in his 30s.

We started the interrogation at 10:30hr on level 3 of our HQ. I sensed the officer was a bit nervous and perhaps even embarrassed. He expressed his anxiety with the presence of reporters and complained that the reporters might write “cerita yang bukan-bukan“.

Then he took out his pen and paper, said: “boleh saya mula?”

I sought to reconfirm his name and rank, he answered: ASP Shahrizal b Md Deris

Is this a Statement under Section 112 of CPC? Ya.

ASP Shah proceeded in writing an introduction for me:

Saya dilahirkan di Melaka. Sek Rendah di SRJK – Durian Daun…

I said: hang on there, kalau nak start dari sekolah rendah sampai bila nak habis nie? (Are we going to spend all day talking about my personal history).

ASP: OK, OK, hanya sikit saja: dan melanjutkan pelajaran di UNSW Australia dan habis belajar 1988. Saya masih bujang dan tinggal bersendirian saya menyertai parti keadilan pada tahun 1999.

At this point, I asked why he did not read out the caution statement to me. He said he would read the entire statement after the interrogation.

I said that was a wrong procedure. With me, I have no problem in avoiding self-incriminating confession. I asked: do you omit the caution statement when you record confession from members of public? That’s unprofessional. He was quiet, but still didn’t read the caution statement.

(For friends who are not familiar with police procedure: in all statement taking, the police officer is legally obliged to read out several paragraphs of warning so that people do not make incriminating confession)

ASP continued: Boleh kamu cerita mengenai gambar yang kamu keluarkan? (Could you explain the picture you posted?)
Answer: Tidak apa2 keterangan yg saya ingin ceritakan. (I do not wish to say anything)

ASP: Apakah punca kamu mengeluarkan gambar tersebut? (What is the reason you posted the picture)
Answer: Saya tidak mahu jawab soalan ini. (I do not intend to answer this question)

ASP got annoyed and panic, he asked am I going to answer anything at all.

I said you are not asking the right questions. You must first establish what picture we were referring to, then ask me about my website. Then I asked did you read my blog? He said yes. Then you must show me the picture and build your case from there.

Red faced, he confessed that he knew nothing about internet.

How come Commercial Crime Investigator doesn’t know internet and how blog operates? He said: no, I am not Commercial Crime, I am Jenayah (Criminal Division).

What? Why is CID investigating my blog? Is it because a murder is involved?

Silent.

Ok, let’s go on. Show me the picture and ask me do I recognize the picture.

ASP took out a badly photocopied picture on A4 paper: Adakah kamu cam gambar yang ditunjukkan? (you recognize this picture?)
Answer: Ya

ASP: Siapakah yang mengeluarkan gambar ini? (who issued this photo?)
Answer: Dari mana pihak polis dapatkan gambar ini? (where does the police get the picture)

Do you just get this from KIMA? Did you find this a website?
ASP was unable to quote an exact website address. I asked again and again, he finally said the police had downloaded it from Umno Reform.

I insisted that the ASP wrote: “Gambar ini diambil dari Umno Reform” in the question:

ASP finally agreed and the question: Gambar ini diambil dari Umno Reform. Adakah kamu tahu mengenai website Umno Reform? (This photo is taken from Umno Reform. Do you know this website?)
Answer: Umno Reform adalah website yang diuruskan oleh beberapa orang blogger yang berparti Umno dan yang keluar dari Umno. Mereka bermotif untuk memberi kritikan kepada kepimpinan Umno agar perubahan akan berlaku.
Saya tidak sehaluan dengan politik Umno.
(Umno Reform is a website run by a few Umno members and those who left Umno. Their motive is to provide criticism to the Umno leadership in order to bring change. I am not on the same tract with Umno)

ASP: Adakah kamu kenali blogger yang kamu maksudkan? (you know the bloggers in the website?)
Answer: Saya mengenali mereka tetapi saya tidak melibatkan diri dengan mereka. Saya tak ingat nama mereka tetapi mereka telah disenaraikan dalam website. (Yes, but I am not involved with them. I don’t remember their names but their names are listed in the web)

ASP: Adalah kamu tahu mengenai gambar ini dikeluarkan oleh blogger yang kamu maksudkan? (Do you know whether these bloggers posted the picture)
Answer: Saya tidak tahu. (No)

ASP: Dari gambar yang saya tunjukkan. Apakah pendapat kamu mengenai gambar tersebut? (What is your view on the picture I shown to you?)
Answer: Saya tidak ada apa-apa yang saya nak cakap mengenai gambar tersebut. (I have nothing to say)
ASP: Adakah kamu bercakap benar? (do you speak the truth?)
Answer: Ya

ASP. Adakah kamu ingin tambah, ubah keterangan kamu?(Anything to add or change?)
A: Tidak. (No)

I read the statement again and put down my signature. End of the interrogation.