Sunday, September 14, 2008

Malaysiakini Update : A vigil for 'Saint' Teresa

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Malaysiakini: A vigil for 'Saint Teresa'

A sombre mood surrounded the DAP headquarters in Petaling Jaya today when the party held a candlelight vigil for Seputeh member of parliament Teresa Kok who was 

arrested under ISA yesterday.

With candles and roses, the vigil kicked off at 7.30pm with about 100 people participating to throw support to Kok.

lim guan eng pkr penang media journalist attacked by pkr security pc 050808 01As the candles marked "every brightness and hope that leads Teresa away from the darkness", DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng told the crowd that the candles also "symbolise every single day when she is inside (detention)".

"We know that she is in good spirits and I think we should also be in the same determined spirit that she has demonstrated and we should continue this battle," he said.

Guan Eng, who is also Penang Chief Minister, further revealed to the crowd that he was given an assurance that Kok was in good hands.

The Bagan MP who spoke to deputy inspector-general of police Ismail Omar earlier tonight said that they had agreed to arrange a visit for Kok's parents to see their daughter on Monday.

"(But) he (Ismail) said he needed some time. He however promised that she has been treated well and whatever she wants, the police will accommodate her. We will hold him to his promise," he added.

The top cop however did not divulge any information on Kok's whereabouts.

Related to nude squat scandal?

Guan Eng further threw a suspicion on the arrest and related it to a ‘nude squat' video scandal that had happened three years ago, where Kok "had exposed the misdeeds of police abusing the power".

"Is this (the arrest) something to get back at her? We hope that it is not the case but we will not accept that police powers can be abused," he added.

teresa kok modern pig farm 150408 lookingYesterday, Kok who is also a Selangor exco member and Kinrara state assemblyperson, was arrested near her house without any specific reasons.

However, political insiders said it was possibly related to a report in Utusan Malaysia, which alleged she was behind a petition to lower the loudspeaker volume for the azan at several mosques.

Latest development that emerged todayshowed that she was arrested for allegedly ‘causing tension and conflict among races' as laid out in the notice issued by the Special Branch police.

Kok had denied the allegations and threatened to sue the newspaper and former Selangor Menteri Besar Dr Khir Toyo for making the allegation.

Kok is the first female member of parliament to be detained under the ISA.

The arrested ‘saint'

Veteran DAP leader Lim Kit Siang, who was also present expressed, his shock on Kok's arrest, wondering how could a ‘saint' be arrested.

"A saint among all politicians. Who do you think will be? Teresa Kok. When a saint is detained, there must be something very wrong with the system in our country," said Kit Siang.

He further took a swipe at the former menteri besar Khir for making false allegations against Kok and said that he was the one who should be arrested instead.

"If any action should be taken, it should be taken against Khir. Otherwise, he should be ready to apologise and admit that he is wrong especially in this holy month of Ramadhan," blasted Kit Siang, drawing cheers from the crowd.

Karpal Singh, who managed to make a late entrance at the vigil, also was in high-spirit and attacked Utusan Malaysia.

"There was no basis for Teresa's arrest but the Utusan has gone on a rampage," said Karpal, who will be filing a defamation suitagainst the paper next week for accusing him of "rejecting Islam as the official religion of the country.

The paper however apologised over their mistakes and carried a front-page apology on Aug 26 to the DAP leader and retracted the report, admitting that it was a 'grave mistake.'

The candlelight vigil ended at 8.15pm with the shouts of "Free Teresa, Abolish ISA".

1 comment:

wisesim said...

Malaysians will stand up against this tyranny rule! Our beloved MP is wrongly put under ISA! It is time for every Malaysians to protest against this outrageous action by the authority. A real misused of power. I will pray for your safety and freedom, Teresa Kok! No one is greater than God!