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Monday, 22 September 2008

Verbal war over nature of police report

(The Sun) The so-called "MCA key operative" Arthur So and Seri Serdang assemblyman Datuk Mohd Satim Diman’s special assistant Kuan Chee Heng, who lodged a police report against an Utusan Malaysia columnist, have demanded an apology from DAP’s Ipoh Timur MP Lim Kit Siang for alleging that the report led to the detention of Seputeh MP Teresa Kok under the Internal Security Act (ISA).

Kuan, who is not with any political party, said he had lodged a police report against columnist Zaini Hassan over his article titled "Azan, Jawi, JAIS, UiTM dan ba-alif-ba-ya", and that it was not against Kok.

He said he is not angry with Kok who blamed him for her detention "because she was misled by false information".

He said at a joint press conference with So yesterday that if Lim refuses to explain and apologise, they will resort to legal action.

So, 63, who was named the "key operative of MCA" in earlier reports, clarified that he was MCA Kampung Bersatu branch chairman but he had quit the party in September last year. He said he did not lodge any police report.

"I met Kuan outside the police station on the day he lodged the report against Utusan Malaysia and I was invited to take a group photo with him. Since Lim made a mistake, he must apologise to us."

On Sunday, MCA vice-president Datuk Ong Tee Keat had also challenged Lim to prove his allegation, failing which he should apologise to the party.

In his response yesterday, Lim said: "During a candlelight vigil in Ipoh on Sept 21, I said a key MCA operative in Puchong had lodged a police report making false allegations against Teresa over the azan controversy on Sept 11, which triggered her ISA detention the next day.

"I repeated this the next day at Teresa’s media conference on her ISA release at DAP headquarters. Is or was the ‘key MCA operative in Puchong’ an MCA member? Let MCA leaders tell Malaysians."

Lim added that MCA leaders were just trying to raise a hue-and-cry over the identity over the "MCA operative in Puchong".

He said Kok had revealed the identity of the "MCA operative" at the KL-Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall at the "head-shaving protest" by 18 DAP members against continued ISA detentions. He said the ball is now in the court of the MCA leaders.

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