Newly-named Sabah PKR (Parti Keadilan Raykat) Director of Communications, Ronnie Klassen, credits "mischief makers" for an imminent police investigation into 'hot video' clip which appeared together with his post 'Replace MACC with a truly independent one' which appeared on his blog, 'Putt for Change', late last month.

Klassen posted a comment on his post last Sunday, deploring the video for being linked with the death of DAP political aide Teoh Beng Hock while in MACC (Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission) custody.

Jeffrey Kitingan and Ronnie Klassen "Some unscrupulous characters have been circulating some very mischievous messages that the person in the video was the late Teoh Beng Hock," wrote Klassen (right) after he was informed by a reporter who had received 12 alerts on the "Teoh" video in one day.

"This malicious unwarranted act must stop henceforth. The person in question here was NOT Teoh Beng Hock as alleged by the sender of the sms."

The avalanche of short messaging service text messages and emails making their rounds has had an unprecedented effect.

More than half a million surfers visited Klassen's blog within a 48-hour period. He instantly knew that the figures were chalked up by the video clip itself and not so much the content of the post.

The number of hits on his blog stood at 48,000 in the ten-week old site before the video appeared, according to Klassen, but now it stands at almost 600,000.

"So far the police have not called me but if they do so in the belief that I may be able to somehow assist them in their investigations, I would be more than happy to oblige. There's really nothing to hide," said Klassen who is no stranger to controversy.

"In fact, I believe that the police report by MACC may actually be in response to an earlier police report lodged against them by someone in Seri Kembangan, Selangor, in connection with the video clip."

Klassen drew a link between both police reports based on a telephone conversation he had yesterday with a Nanyang Siang Pau reporter from Kuala Lumpur. The Chinese daily reporter drew his attention to the Seri Kembangan police report and informed him that he was working on a follow-up report.

Read content first

Klassen pleaded with those who visit his blog to make an effort to read his post on the Teoh tragedy and not just watch the video and jump to premature conclusions.

"I did not say in my post that the video had anything to do with Teoh," moaned Klassen. "It was just an illustration of the kind of brutality that goes on in this country."

His exact words in the post reads: "I would also like to present to you a short video clip sent to me by a reader of this blog which exposes the obnoxious treatment of a suspect in custody."

NONE In a paragraph preceding the above words, he writes: "In fact, many countries have audio and visual recordings of their interviews with the suspects or witness (es)."

The offending video clip has apparently being making the rounds since early this year on YouTube, a discovery which Klassen made from comments left on his post.

Usually, he receives less than 50 comments on average per post but the Teoh post drew an unprecedented 500 plus.

Only 250 were published given space constraints and suitability for public viewing, Klassen disclosed.

There is no indication that the writers of the comments thought the video clip was about Teoh in MACC custody.

Another Klassen post on Teoh, immediately before the one with the video clip, drew only 57 comments.

Klassen himself is quick to discount a theory that many of the 3,000-odd people on his email list may have unwittingly promoted the video clip erroneously.

"These are my very close friends and it's unlikely that they would make the wrong connection between Teoh's death and the video clip," said Klassen. "They are the sort who would read the post and not just view the video."

Everytime that Klassen uploads a new post, he sends out a promotional email. For the latest post on Teoh, he sent out the following email on July 23 at 3.42 pm including one to Malaysiakini :

Greetings my esteemed friends,

The nation is now in a threshold, where transparency and accountability is yet to be ascertain exist. Our children being our priceless jewel will continue to probe if Malaysia will ever be safe. Investor confidence will surely take a nose dive. The Government, Law Enforcement Agencies and the Judiciary are now under the microscope as the public bemoans the manner a life can end while being in custody of MACC.

I've uploaded a horrifying video in my blog, if the notion that no one should take the law in his own hands other then decided upon by the court, then it should also include the Law enforcement agencies.

Log-on to my blog to read and view http://advocateviews.blogspot.com

Regards,

Ronnie Klassen.

The Sabah PKR rep, a businessman when he's not blogging or wooing the younger generation to his party, thinks that the police should investigate the contents of the video clip itself and not be side-tracked by the police report lodged by MACC.

"What is MACC's beef? What are they complaining about by raising the video clip issue in their police report?" asked Klassen. "I don't think the Seri Kembangan police report implied the video clip involves the MACC."

"The person who lodged the police wants the authorities to bring the persons in the video clip to book. That's the direction the police should take."

Klassen is a nephew of the late Rennie Klassen, owner of Rennie's Pub, a popular watering hole along Jalan Gasing in Petaling Jaya.