Just moments after her surprising release from her arrest under the Internal Security Act, DAP Parlimentarian Teresa Kok, who is also senior Exco member of the Selangor state government, immediately threatened to sue the Police and Federal government.
"I have also instructed my lawyers to sue the Malaysian government for my unlawful arrest and detention," she told a packed press conference at the party headquarters in Petaling Jaya Friday (19 Sept). Party adviser, Lim Kit Siang, who was beside her, immediately called for a public inquiry into the controversial ISA arrest to get into the bottom of it.
Kok also said she will get back to work immediately. "There's so much to do. Tonight itself I have three functions lined up, one of which is a thanksgiving by a mosque in my constituency," she said.
Kok was arrested a week ago together with blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin and Sin Chew journalists, Tan Hoon Cheng, who has sinced been released after 18 hour.
Kok was released at noon and speaking to the later she said: "My ISA detention Is without any legal or moral basis. It is a clear abuse of detention without trial."
"Even as I am free from ISA detention today, I also call for the release of Raja Petra, the Hindraf Five and all other 60 over detainees under the draconian ISA."
"I have been released after being detained in solitary confinement in a 6 by 8 holding cell for seven days under the Internal Security Act (ISA). I was informed by the police that they detained me under Sec 73(1) of Internal Security Act 1960, which means I have incited racial and religious tension and conflict. "
"After being detained for seven days under the guise of so-called investigations, the police failed to produce any evidence or proof of me being involved in the activities of causing racial and religious tension. They were only able to ask me few questions based entirely on the false and malicious article written by Zaini Hassan under the topic "Azan, jawi, JAIS, Uitm dan ba-alif-ba-ya" that was published in Utusan Malaysia on 10th September 2008," she said.
Kok said the three main questions that the investigation officers asked me were:
i) whether I have mobilized a group of residents at Bandar Kinrara to present a petition to oppose to the azan at the Bandar Kinrara mosque;
ii) whether I have made a statement that 30% of the Selangor Islamic Department (JAIS) allocation is to be given to other non-Islam religious bodies; and
iii) whether I have opposed to the Jawi wording road signages in Kuala Lumpur.
"I denied the first two accusations as I did not do any such things as accused. I also told them that the issue of opposing Jawi road signages in Kuala Lumpur were done in January/February 2008 at the request and following the pressure of resident associations. The resident associations, particularly in Taman Seputeh, were most unhappy because many of the road signages were changed arbitrarily by the Kuala Lumpur City Hall a few month before and changed again soon after this time with Jawi wordings. They were strongly opposed to this kind of wastage of public funds."
I was quite surprised that there were no other questions posed to me besides these few main questions, she added.
Kok said the Internal Security Act (ISA) is meant to detain people who threaten national security. The three issues stated above have nothing to do with national security. If the police wanted to carry out investigation on me, they can always ask me to give statements in any of the police station and there was absolutely no need to detain me under the ISA for seven days. This is a phenomenal abuse of the power of police under the ISA, she added.
"Besides, it is nonsensical for the police to detain me under the ISA merely based on the unsubstantiated article written by an irresponsible columnist in Utusan Malaysia? How can they regard that article as the gospel truth without investigating the writer in the first place? How can Utusan Malaysia publish it without verifying the facts? "
"I wish to ask the police whether they have called Zaini Hassan and Utusan Malaysia's editors for questioning before and after my detention. I know that the imam of Bandar Kinrara mosque has publicly denied that I got involved in the Puchong residents petition against azan of his mosque on 13th September. I am also quite surprised to read in the New Straits Times dated 19th Sep that the official of the Bandar Kinrara mosque was called by the Dang Wangi police for statement recording only yesterday afternoon (18 Sept). Why did the police do it so late, one week after I was arrested? Why didn't they check their facts first before they arrest me and put me behind bars?" she asked.
Kok claimed she has been made scapegoat in the internal squabbles of UMNO
"I see my detention as a ploy by UMNO to try to cover up the embarrassment and the outrage of the racist statements made by Ahmad Ismail in Penang. I wonder why did they choose an innocent person like me as I have never made any racist statements or racist speeches in the past? "
"I have lodged the police report on 17th September 2008 against Utusan Malaysia, Zaini Hassan and Dr Khir Toyo for criminal defamation. I would therefore urge the police to investigate Utusan Malaysia' s editors, those racist bloggers and Dr Khir Toyo under the Penal Code. I will also sue Utusan Malaysia, Zaini Hassan and Dr Khir Toyo, she said.
By BOB TEOH
MySinchew
2008.09.19
"I have also instructed my lawyers to sue the Malaysian government for my unlawful arrest and detention," she told a packed press conference at the party headquarters in Petaling Jaya Friday (19 Sept). Party adviser, Lim Kit Siang, who was beside her, immediately called for a public inquiry into the controversial ISA arrest to get into the bottom of it.
Kok also said she will get back to work immediately. "There's so much to do. Tonight itself I have three functions lined up, one of which is a thanksgiving by a mosque in my constituency," she said.
Kok was arrested a week ago together with blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin and Sin Chew journalists, Tan Hoon Cheng, who has sinced been released after 18 hour.
Kok was released at noon and speaking to the later she said: "My ISA detention Is without any legal or moral basis. It is a clear abuse of detention without trial."
"Even as I am free from ISA detention today, I also call for the release of Raja Petra, the Hindraf Five and all other 60 over detainees under the draconian ISA."
"I have been released after being detained in solitary confinement in a 6 by 8 holding cell for seven days under the Internal Security Act (ISA). I was informed by the police that they detained me under Sec 73(1) of Internal Security Act 1960, which means I have incited racial and religious tension and conflict. "
"After being detained for seven days under the guise of so-called investigations, the police failed to produce any evidence or proof of me being involved in the activities of causing racial and religious tension. They were only able to ask me few questions based entirely on the false and malicious article written by Zaini Hassan under the topic "Azan, jawi, JAIS, Uitm dan ba-alif-ba-ya" that was published in Utusan Malaysia on 10th September 2008," she said.
Kok said the three main questions that the investigation officers asked me were:
i) whether I have mobilized a group of residents at Bandar Kinrara to present a petition to oppose to the azan at the Bandar Kinrara mosque;
ii) whether I have made a statement that 30% of the Selangor Islamic Department (JAIS) allocation is to be given to other non-Islam religious bodies; and
iii) whether I have opposed to the Jawi wording road signages in Kuala Lumpur.
"I denied the first two accusations as I did not do any such things as accused. I also told them that the issue of opposing Jawi road signages in Kuala Lumpur were done in January/February 2008 at the request and following the pressure of resident associations. The resident associations, particularly in Taman Seputeh, were most unhappy because many of the road signages were changed arbitrarily by the Kuala Lumpur City Hall a few month before and changed again soon after this time with Jawi wordings. They were strongly opposed to this kind of wastage of public funds."
I was quite surprised that there were no other questions posed to me besides these few main questions, she added.
Kok said the Internal Security Act (ISA) is meant to detain people who threaten national security. The three issues stated above have nothing to do with national security. If the police wanted to carry out investigation on me, they can always ask me to give statements in any of the police station and there was absolutely no need to detain me under the ISA for seven days. This is a phenomenal abuse of the power of police under the ISA, she added.
"Besides, it is nonsensical for the police to detain me under the ISA merely based on the unsubstantiated article written by an irresponsible columnist in Utusan Malaysia? How can they regard that article as the gospel truth without investigating the writer in the first place? How can Utusan Malaysia publish it without verifying the facts? "
"I wish to ask the police whether they have called Zaini Hassan and Utusan Malaysia's editors for questioning before and after my detention. I know that the imam of Bandar Kinrara mosque has publicly denied that I got involved in the Puchong residents petition against azan of his mosque on 13th September. I am also quite surprised to read in the New Straits Times dated 19th Sep that the official of the Bandar Kinrara mosque was called by the Dang Wangi police for statement recording only yesterday afternoon (18 Sept). Why did the police do it so late, one week after I was arrested? Why didn't they check their facts first before they arrest me and put me behind bars?" she asked.
Kok claimed she has been made scapegoat in the internal squabbles of UMNO
"I see my detention as a ploy by UMNO to try to cover up the embarrassment and the outrage of the racist statements made by Ahmad Ismail in Penang. I wonder why did they choose an innocent person like me as I have never made any racist statements or racist speeches in the past? "
"I have lodged the police report on 17th September 2008 against Utusan Malaysia, Zaini Hassan and Dr Khir Toyo for criminal defamation. I would therefore urge the police to investigate Utusan Malaysia' s editors, those racist bloggers and Dr Khir Toyo under the Penal Code. I will also sue Utusan Malaysia, Zaini Hassan and Dr Khir Toyo, she said.
By BOB TEOH
MySinchew
2008.09.19
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