Wrong photograph used to identify web designer in video - Ramesh Rao

Pertubuhan Minda dan Sosial Prihatin president, Ramesh Rao Krishnan has admitted that a photograph of another man was mistakenly used to identify the web designer who allegedly fabricated Sarawak Report articles on 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).

He said despite the mistake in the video, which the web designer allegedly said he was hired by Sarawak Report editor Clare Rewcastle-Brown to fabricate articles on 1MDB, what was said by former Sarawak Tribune editor Lester Melanyi was true.

"We (Krishnan and Lester) had mistakenly identified the web designer in the video. It was a photograph of a sales manager of a rail service in Britain," he told a press conference here Wednesday.

Ramesh Rao said the third part of the video to be disclosed next week would prove that Melanyi had worked with Sarawak Report, which was denied by Rewcastle-Brown.

He said Melanyi was scheduled to hold a press conference with him but the date had not been decided as he had to give a statement to the police in Bukit Aman.

"We have proof that Rewcastle-Brown bought tickets for Lester's travels to London, United Kingdom for meeting sessions. If Lester was a bankrupt as alleged by the opposition, why did Rewcastle-Brown use her credit card to buy tickets for Lester and his family to London?

"We have proof and will reveal it at the appropriate time next week," added Ramesh Rao.

In the 6.02-minute video, Melanyi said about 90 per cent of the articles on 1MDB by Sarawak Report were fabricated by the opposition to discredit the Malaysian Government and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

Melanyi also named the London-based web designer allegedly hired by Rewcastle-Brown to fabricate emails and agreement documents.