Fact-check: '98 photo of black-eyed Anwar with hand raised is real

PAS mouthpiece Harakah Daily in a series of tweets yesterday reported that the iconic 1998 photograph of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, with a black eye, raising his hand was “edited”.

Calling it an “exclusive exposé”, Harakah Daily cited a retired media videographer claiming he took the photograph of Anwar, with a black eye, raising his arm, and that the photograph now widely circulating was doctored.

In a video published by Harakah Daily, the videographer, who only wants to be known as Hanafiah, said he shot the scene of Anwar arriving at the courthouse on video, using a beta video camera.

However, the former Channel News Asia videographer, who is now the Tangga Batu Bersatu information chief, told Malaysiakini he cannot be sure if the still photograph was edited.

He, nevertheless, recalled Anwar was handcuffed when he arrived at the Petaling Jaya Court on Sept 30, 1998.

Malaysiakini’s checks, however, found that the iconic photograph was taken by Ed Wray for news agency Associated Press (AP) - a fact Hanafiah confirmed with Malaysiakini.

Photojournalists on duty that day also confirmed to Malaysiakini that Anwar did raise his hand for about two seconds...