Second police statement to Special Branch Investigation Officer in
connection with Dr. Adham Baba's alleged seditious remark
Press Statement
by Loke Siew Fook
(Petaling Jaya, Wednesday):
I had just recorded my
second police statement yesterday with the Petaling Jaya Police Contingent
Special Branch investigation officer in connection with my police report
against UMNO Youth Education Bureau Chairman, Dr. Adham Baba for his
statement to call for the closure of all Chinese Primary Schools on 15th
November.
I had first recorded my statement with the Petaling Jaya Police Contingent
Criminal investigation officer on 15th November and I was called again by
the Special Branch Officer to give further statement to help the
investigation.
DAPSY had decided to lodge the police report on 15th November as we viewed
that the statement by Dr. Adham Baba on the UMNO Youth website "Prejudis
Melampau Cauvinis Pendidikan Cina, Kerajaan Digesa Tutup Semua SJKC"
violated the Sedition Act, as decided by the 1971 case involving Utusan
Melayu which was found guilty of sedition for carrying a report with the
sub-heading "Hapuskan Sekolah-Sekolah Beraliran Tamil atau China di-Negeri
ini", which was held as questioning one of the four entrenched sensitive
issues in the Constitution, viz: Article 152 (1) (a) that "no person shall
be prohibited or prevented from using (otherwise than for official
purposes), or from teaching or learning, any other language".
I understand that the investigation is in the final phase now and was
handled by the Special Branch investigation officer and once it is
completed, it will be handed to the Attorney General Chambers to decide
whether to prosecute Dr. Adham Baba.
I call on the Attorney General, Datuk Abdul Gani Patail to use his
discretionary power fairly and independently to take action against Dr.
Adham Baba and prosecute him under the Sedition Act 1948 taking into
consideration of the gravity of such irresponsible and insensitive statement
and its dire effect on a multi racial society like Malaysia. Although Dr.
Adham had apologized for his words, he must be punished as his statement was
very serious in damaging racial harmony in the country and legal action
against him will set an example to remind other racists that no one in
Malaysia should question the rights of all Malaysians to vernacular
education and other sensitive issues.
I will continue to give my fullest cooperation to help the police in their
investigations and I'm prepared to appear in court to testify for the trial.
(4/12/2002)
*
Loke Siew Fook, DAPSY Acting National Secretary
|
http://dapmalaysia.org