KUALA LUMPUR, JULY 14: “Is it a crime to pressure (Prime Minister) Najib (Abdul Razak) to step down?”
Loke (centre), said he was disappointed and found it ridiculous that he was questioned for so-called incitement. With him is Lim Lip Eng (left) and Thomas Su (right).
DAP national organising secretary Anthony Loke said if it were a crime to speak out against politicians and leaders, then there may as well be no Parliament at all, especially when Najib finds himself embroiled in controversy over alleged embezzlement of 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) funds.
He said this at a press conference outside the Dang Wangi police station today, where he was called in for questioning in relation to his remarks at an emergency parliamentary meeting last week.
The parliamentary meeting was called by progressive parliamentarians to discuss the future of Malaysia in light of accusations that Najib had received some US$700 million from 1MDB and 1MDB-linked companies to his personal accounts.
Loke, who is also Seremban MP and DAP whip, said he was called yesterday by an officer named Liu from Bukit Aman, because a complaint had been lodged against him over a Sinar Online report. The report had quoted Loke as saying that there will be a massive street protest if Najib refused to resign.
Loke however clarified that he had merely said he is not ruling out the possibility that a street protest will happen if Najib did not resign.
According to Loke, he was called in to answer questions under Section 505B of the Penal Code, which states “whoever makes any statement with the intent to cause fear or alarm to the public whereby any person may be induced to commit an offence against the State or against the public tranquillity, shall be punished with imprisonment which may extend to two years or with fine or with both”.
“I find it ridiculous, and I am disappointed that the IGP seems intolerant of any form of peaceful demonstration, which is a basic human right of freedom of assembly,” he added.
Loke, who arrived at 12pm at the police station and was questioned for about 30 minutes, was accompanied by lawyers Thomas Su (Ipoh Timur MP) and Lim Lip Eng (Segambut MP). Also present was DAP Socialist Youth chief Teo Kok Seong.
– The Rocket
