Parliamentarian Teresa Kok, who was released today after being held for seven days under the Internal Security Act, will sue the government for her ‘unlawful arrest and detention’.
At a packed press conference held at the DAP headquarters in Petaling Jaya at 3.30pm, Kok told journalists that she was repeatedly interrogated by her captors on three issues.
This include whether she had mobilised the Bandara Kinrara residents to put up a petition over the azan (morning call to prayer) issue and whether she had said that the allocation for Islamic religious council Jais should be used for other religions.
The third issue was her previous statement opposing to the road signs written in Jawi.
“I denied the first two,” the Seputeh MP, who was released unconditionally at 1pm, told journalists at the DAP headquarters in Petaling Jaya. DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang was among the party leaders who were present at the press conference.
“I see my detention as a ploy by Umno to cover up its embarrassment over the Ahmad Ismail’s racist remarks,” she said in referring to the suspended Umno’s Bukit Bendera division chief.
Investigate the 'culprits'
Kok also urged the police to investigate Umno politician and Selangor opposition leader Mohd Khir Toyo who had reportedly alleged her as describing the azans as “disturbing the peace” of local residents.Similarly, the three-term MP also want the police to investigate Malay daily Utusan Malaysia and its columnist Zaini Hassan, who played up her alleged role in the issue.
She singled out the Umno-owned Utusan for triggering religious controversy among Muslims through an article last week entitled, ‘Azan, jawi, JAIS, UiTM dan ba-alif-ba-ya’.The column, written by senior editor Zaini, lambasted an unnamed woman politician for going to a mosque and demanding that it lowers the volume of loudspeakers during the Muslim call to prayer.
The individual was described by Zaini as a ‘bespectacled politician’, a racist and a chauvinist. However, the mosque has denied any involvement by Kok.
Kit Siang: Let's settle it in Parliament
Meanwhile, DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang said that the prime minister's refusal to reconvene Parliament early would only deepen the political impasse.
"As everyone knows, ever since the March 8 elections the country is in a state of confusion and is lacking in direction."Instead of giving greater confidence, the last six months has seen a deepening of the multitude of confidence among Malaysians and even those in BN and Umno," said Lim.
The collapse of the local bourse - while partly influenced by external factors - said Lim, is testament to the loss of confidence among the people.
Umno itself, he added, seems unhappy with their president.
"The proposal for convening Parliament on Sept 23 will resolve these problems once and for all.
"If Umno and Barisan leaders are convinced that Anwar Ibrahim and Pakatan Rakyat does not have sufficient majority, let there be a Parliament session to settle this once and for all.
"This will be good for the country, Malaysians and in short everybody," said Lim. - Malaysiakini.com
Hopefully the case she brings comes up before a fair judge and not an "UMNO judge", because she does have a genuinely strong case here!
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