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Media Statement 
by Lim Kit Siang  
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(Ipoh, Monday): Another brutal crime in Ipoh – 22-year-old hairstylist whose semi-naked body was found sprawled at her salon in Taman Perpaduan, Tambun, Ipoh on Saturday. 

Sunday Star yesterday reported:

The body of Ooi Choo Lee was discovered by her father Ooi Ah Hee, 57, when he went to check on her after she repeatedly failed to answer his phone calls. 

Choo Lee was found sprawled in the toilet of the shop at about 4am yesterday. 

She had apparently been strangled and was believed to have been raped. 

Ah Hee said he had rushed from Sungkai, about 120km away, where he worked, to check on Choo Lee. 

“I thought she was at the supermarket when she didn’t answer the first time at 8pm (Thursday). 

“But when there was still no answer much later, I decided to go to Ipoh.  

“She had always been told to keep her phone turned on,” he told reporters at the Ipoh Hospital mortuary here. 

Choo Lee was from Sungai Petani who moved to Ipoh two years ago. 

Only last week, a teenager was kidnapped, robbed and raped in Ipoh by two parang-wielding men when she went to a 24-hour clinic at 2 am for treatment. 

The crime wave and the spiraling fear of crime in Ipoh, as elsewhere in the country, must be checked and eradicated to make the streets, public places and homes safe again. This must be the No.1 national agenda – a safe Ipoh and a safe Malaysia for the people, tourists and investors! 

The Parliamentary Caucus on Human Rights and Good Governance should hold its fourth public hearing on “Fight Rising Crime” in Ipoh to raise greater parliamentary, police and public consciousness on the grave problem of crime and public safety in Ipoh. I will discuss with the Parliamentary Caucus Chairman and other Committee members to schedule such a public hearing.

(30/7/2007)