Police investigation papers on Sin Chew submitted to AGC – report

Summary

• Police have submitted investigation papers on Sin Chew Daily’s flag illustration error to the Attorney-General’s Chambers, with statements recorded from 54 individuals.

• The case is being probed under multiple laws, while the MCMC has also completed its separate investigation.

The investigation papers regarding Sin Chew Daily’s gaffe in publishing an illustration featuring an incomplete Jalur Gemilang flag have been submitted to the Attorney-General’s Chambers for further action.

According to Sinar Harian, Inspector-General of Police Razarudin Husain said the papers were submitted yesterday.

“So far, 54 individuals have had their statements recorded, and there are other witnesses who could be called if the need arises.

“Preliminary investigations found that among the reasons given by the paper is that there was a technical error in publishing the illustration,” he reportedly said.

Razarudin said the police have received 40 reports on the issue so far, and have investigated the case under Section 3(1)(c) of the Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act 1963 and Section 4(1)(b) of the Printing Presses and Publication Act (PPPA) 1984.

The investigation is regarding an illustration that Sin Chew published on Tuesday in conjunction with the state visit of China’s President Xi Jinping.

The illustration was that of a jong carrying both the flags of Malaysia and China, but the missing crescent moon on the Jalur Gemilang has prompted backlash from various quarters as well as a royal rebuke from Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar.

Apart from the police investigation, the Chinese-language daily faces a separate investigation by the Home Ministry under the PPPA, and another by the MCMC under Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998.

The MCMC investigation was also completed yesterday and was reportedly pending submission to the AGC.

Sin Chew has apologised and cited a technical error. It printed a corrected version of the illustration on the next day, vowed to take disciplinary action against its staff, and review its editorial procedures, including those surrounding the use of artificial intelligence.

Police have previously arrested two of Sin Chew’s editors on April 17, but released them on police bail the same day after recording their statements and confiscating their computers and other items to facilitate investigations.

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