freemalaysiatoday
By FMT staff
KUALA LUMPUR: In a startling new development, "evidence" has emerged to suggest that the photo of PKR's Hulu Selangor by-election candidate Zaid Ibrahim clutching a bottle of Jack Daniel's whiskey could have been doctored.
In an e-mail to FMT, PKR communications director Jonson Chong attached another photo of Zaid wearing the same shirt with the same background, but without the bottle.
FMT learnt that the photo was taken during an interview with a news portal.
Earlier, FMT reported that a photo of Zaid holding the whiskey bottle had been posted on the Gerakan Anti-PKR blog this afternoon.
The photo was in response to PKR vice-president Azmin Ali's challenge to prove that Zaid was an alcoholic, which has become one of the central themes of the Barisan Nasional campaign for the by-election.
Azmin had accused BN of deliberately raising the issue to character asassinate Zaid, who has since revealed that his drinking days are over and that he has repented.
'Clear case of gutter politics'
Commenting on the "doctored" photo, Chong dismissed it as a "clear case of gutter politics" employed by BN and the people aligned to the coalition.
Chong said the voters should look at the capability of the PKR candidate and what he can do for this constituency as a result of his working relationship with Selangor Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim and the state government.
According to the "Gerakan Anti-PKR blog", the photo was provided by a source from the opposition party.
“Just as promised, I have exposed a photograph of Zaid and (a bottle of) whiskey. Whether it is beer or whiskey, it is still considered the urine of the Devil, and it is haram (forbidden by Islam) just like sodomy. The prophet (Muhammad) will never consider a sodomite as one of his followers,” said its webmaster.
The reference to sodomy was an obvious attack on PKR supremo and Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim, who is currently on trial for allegedly sodomising his former aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan.
Anwar, who was charged with a similar offence in 1998, has claimed, like before, that it is a political conspiracy masterminded by his rivals.
Eight-minute video clip
Meanwhile, the webmaster said his "PKR source" has revealed that there are eight photographs and an eight-minute video clip involving three PKR leaders in an "embarrassing" situation.
“They are just waiting to hand them (the photos and videos) over to GAP (Gerakan-Anti PKR). One of them (in the video) flew to Taiwan during the Sept 16 lie,” he added.
Following Pakatan Rakyat's sterling performance in the March 2008 general election, Anwar had threatened to take over the federal government on Sept 16 that year with the help of defections.
During this episode, 49 BN MPs were flown to Taiwan on Sept 7 for a purported study tour, which some claimed was an attempt to thwart the defections.
Five PKR leaders -- Selangor exco Elizabeth Wong, PKR director of strategies Tian Chua, secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, supreme council member Low Chee Cheong and elections director Fuziah Salleh -- had trailed them.
Meanwhile, Zaid told FMT earlier that he was not perturbed by the incident.
“I have already responded to this matter, and publicly said that I have repented. I have already explained the matter to the voters, so I will let them decide.
“I am more interested in focusing my efforts on developing Hulu Selangor if elected as MP,” he told FMT.
Also read:
'Whiskey' Zaid photo appears on anti-PKR blog
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