Friday 19 September 2008

Teresa Kok released

malaysiakini - http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/90038

update

DAP Seputeh MP Teresa Kok was released unconditionally at 1pm today, after being held under the Internal Security Act for seven days.

Kok, 43, walked out from the Jalan Travers police station at 1.40pm, accompanied by her lawyer Sankara Nair and her personal aide, Mandy Ooi.

She was greeted by her visibly elated parents.Kok was immediately hugged by her 71-year-old mother, Poon Seh Kwon, who gave her daughter a bunch of white and pink roses.

"I don't know what I've got into... I don't know what is the real reason (that) caused me to (be) put behind bars for one week," she told journalists outside the police station.

Kok, who is also the Selangor state executive council member, expressed that she was still slightly shaken but glad that she was released.

"(There is) no reason at all to put me under ISA... What have I done? What have I said?" she asked.

"During the whole one week, they didn't show any proof or evidence to show that I made statements that have caused racial and religious tension."

The parliamentarian said that she felt like "fool" when she was incarcerated not knowing the grounds for her arrest.

When asked the reason for her release, Kok said, "I don't know... I don't know why I was charged... Of course, they have to release me; they find no case against me."

Kok thanked all those who had campaigned for her release including those from the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition, such as "her friend" Zaid Ibrahim who had resigned as the de facto law minister following her arrest.

Deputy inspector-general of police Ismail Omar said that Kok was released after investigations showed that there was no reason to detain her any further.

Kok will be holding a press conference at 3.30pm at the DAP headquarters in Petaling Jaya.

Honey, I'm home; I've had a hard day'

Minutes after the 43-year-old IT-savvy and affable politician did on her release was to update her social networking Facebook account.

She posted a Facebook entry at 1.35pm that “Teresa sings ‘Honey, I’m home, I’ve had a hard day, pour me a cold one da da da...”, which immediately attracted comments welcoming her release.

DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang also appeared to be surprised by Kok’s early Release.

Lim wrote in his blog that he received a call from a ‘Teresa’ at 12.56pm while he was having lunch in Ipoh, Perak and he has wondered who was using the MP’s mobile phone.

“But it was her on the line and I wondered how she wangled the use of her phone while in detention. But no, she did no such improper thing. She told me that she was being released.

“Bravo. The irresistible pressures for her unjust and undemocratic detention had succeeded,” wrote Lim, who is also the Ipoh Timor MP.Kok, who is the Selangor senior state exco, was arrested last Friday under the draconian ISA ostensibly for her alleged role in an Islamic matter.

She was arrested on the same day with controversial blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin and Sin Chew Daily journalist Tan Hoon Cheng, who was however released after 18 hours.

Raja Petra still under detention

Raja Petra, who has targeted the top government figures on his popular Malaysia Today website, however is still under Detention.

Her release today came as a surprise as her parents who were allowed to visit her on Monday has said there was a notice to Kok which stated that she would be held under ISA for 28 days.

Kok was held under the ISA detention for allegedly causing tension and conflict among races.

The three-term MP has been in news in recent days - especially in the Malay dailies - after it was claimed that she had told mosque officials in Kota Damansara, Sri Serdang and Puchong Jaya to tone down the call to prayer.

She has denied the allegation and one of the mosques, Masjid Kota Damansara, has also clarified that a damaged amplified has resulted in the calls to prayers to be made without the aid of a PA system. -Malaysiakini

4 comments:

Hi&Lo said...

That means she was not guilty of instigating anti-Islam sentiments. It was pure and simple a fitnah by Khir Toyo with connivance of Utusan.

"Every dictator uses religion to prop himself in power," said the late Benazir Bhutto.

Anonymous said...

Apparantly there are two classes of people in Malaysia- one above and immune to ISA snd another subject to ISA. Someone actually make racially related statement and can even insist he is correct and owe no one any appology is allowed to stay home. Whereas, another who was only doing her job is incarcerated. Another person is also incracerated for based only heresay. Even if she did made such requests, it should take it as far and just request if indeed the volume is too high. I do not think you need to throw the ISA book at her for just that. I think we are mature enough to settle the difference over a teh tarik

Lee said...

The question to be asked is: why did the government commit the blunder of arresting innocent individuals under the obnoxious ISA?Proper investigations must be carried out and the grounds for taking the actions agreed to by the leaders of the country before any arrest is made.Could it be that the arrests were made by the police to appease
the extremists in our midst?Or are they very unprofessional in their operation, not to mention their inefficiency in carrying out their duty?The credibility of the government has taken another beating.Raja Petra should also be released as he is also not a threat to the security of the country.It is only fair that he should be freed so that he can defend himself in the court of law as he is facing a sedition charge and a defamation charge.

Anonymous said...

RPK tu jangan bagi lepas. Kalau ada dekat luar dia buat kacau je. Penuh je cerita fitnah dan menimbulkan kekeliruan orang ramai. Ni memang satu ancaman ni.