Photographs From Seven Locations Used To Determine Headcount For Rally On April 28

KUALA LUMPUR, May 22 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) applied the photographic blocking system on photographs taken seven locations around the city to arrive at its estimate of 22,000 participants of Bersih 3.0 rally on April 28, said Bernama general manager Hasnul Hassan. Elaborating on the technique, he said it incorporated a simple graphic software with which the pictures were blown up before grids were added to facilitate headcount. He said a 10 per cent margin of error was provided for on the number of participants to accommodate those who might have been hidden or blocked in the photographs. He said the estimated figure did not include the security forces personnel including the police. "The photographs were taken from 11.53 am to 12.52 pm on April 28 by our photographers who were in a police helicopter. "The images of participants were taken before they started to move to Dataran Merdeka (Independence Square). Later, the photographs were blown up as big as our computer screen, which is seven inches by seven inches until the headcount could be done," he said after attending a Bernama 44th anniversary event at Wisma Bernama here on Monday. Hasnul said the seven locations were Jalan Tun Perak, Jalan Tun Perak/Jalan Silang junction; Jalan Sultan/Jalan Jebat junction; areas of Central Market; Jalan Pasar Besar; Jalan Kinabalu and Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman. He was commenting on Information, Communications and Culture Minister Dr Rais Yatim's statement that the total number of people who joined the rally was 22,270 and not hundreds of thousands as claimed by the opposition. "Our methodology for the headcount may not be the best but the numbers are quite reasonable. It is quite close to the BBC's (British Broadcasting Corporation's) configuration (25,000)," Hasnul said . Although some people might dispute Bernama's estimated figure, he said that the total participants could never be more than 100,000 or 300,000 as claimed by certain parties. "We welcome those who want to know about this methodology. It is not the best method but it does serve its purpose," he said, adding that Bernama's photo unit took two days to do the grid boxes as well as the counting. Information, Communications and Culture Deputy Minister Joseph Salang graced the event where 38 employees received excellence awards while those who had served Bernama for 15, 25 and 30 years and staff going on retirement were also appreciated with long-service awards. Also present were Bernama chairman Abdul Rahman Sulaiman and Editor-in Chief Yong Soo Heong. -- BERNAMA