Guan Eng blasts police over sedition threat

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 3 — DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng today hit out at the police for threatening him with sedition over his remarks suggesting that Teoh Beng Hock was murdered, saying it was a concerted effort to topple him as Penang chief minister and break up the Pakatan Rakyat.

Lim said police should stop persecuting innocent people, adding statements from senior police officials showed they have pre-judged him despite their denials of bias.

“The police seem to have made up their minds to charge me with sedition,” Lim told The Malaysian Insider in a phone interview from Penang.

The opposition leader has a previous conviction for sedition and publishing false news, serving 12 out of an 18-month sentence in 1998 for rape allegations made against former Malacca chief minister Tan Sri Rahim Thamby Chik.

The police started their investigations on Dec 21 over remarks by Lim and another politician on Teoh’s death made at the Pakatan Rakyat convention on Dec 19.

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan said on Dec 30 that the police will not be biased in their probe.

Chief minister Lim not impressed with the developments. - Picture by Choo Choy May

“However, Lim’s allegations are considered seditious be- cause Teoh’s inquest is ongoing,” Musa told reporters.

“The sedition investigation against Lim is not politically motivated. His allegation can incite and confuse the public, causing them to turn against government agencies.”

But Lim said Musa and the police must be professional in their investigations.

“I am ready to be investigated but the police must be professional. Their statements suggest otherwise,” he added.

Lim disclosed that the investigations fit a pattern to take out popular Pakatan Rakyat leaders including Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Kelantan Mentri Besar Datuk Nik Aziz Nik Mat.

Anwar is facing a second sodomy charge while Nik Aziz, the popular PAS spiritual chief, has been criticised with charges of nepotism and possible corruption.

“Our political rivals believe they can snap the Pakatan Rakyat by taking out the strong and popular leaders. They are wrong,” Lim said.

He said the Barisan Nasional federal government and police should instead focus on bringing down the country’s crime rate and solve cases such as the embarrassing theft of two fighter jet engines from the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) base in Sungei Besi.

“The general elections are over. We can battle it out in the next one. Its time to take care of the country and the people,” Lim said.

Lim’s current brush with the law began over his remark that “Teoh Beng Hock had been cruelly murdered. I want to remind those responsible that we will not forget you because there is no forgiveness for you.”

Selangor police chief Datuk Khalid Abu Bakar had said that no one should make unsubstantiated remarks.

“Lim Guan Eng’s remarks can be considered to be an incitement, causing

the public to believe that Teoh Beng Hock had been murdered.”

He added the police would also record a statement from Anwar to help in its probe against Lim.

A coroner’s inquest into Teoh’s mysterious death was postponed twice last month as pathologists have yet to complete their report on the second autopsy of the political aide’s remains.

The inquest by coroner Azmil Munthapa Abas was scheduled to resume two weeks ago but lawyers now expect it to continue this month.

The 30-year-old Selangor political secretary who was found dead at Plaza Masalam on July 16 after overnight questioning by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), which was probing alleged abuse of state funds by politicians from the ruling Pakatan Rakyat state government.

The findings of the second autopsy done at the Sungai Buloh hospital on Nov 22 are highly anticipated as they may confirm suspicions that Teoh was murdered.

Two foreign experts — Dr Peter Vanezis for MACC and Dr Pornthip Rojanasunand for the Selangor government — had observed the post-mortem carried out by Sungai Buloh Hospital chief pathologist Dr Shahidan Md Noor.

The renowned Thai pathologist earlier testified at the inquest that Teoh’s death was “80 per cent” homicide based on photographic evidence.

However, her views are contrary to the first autopsy done by local pathologists. The coroner then ordered the exhumation of Teoh’s remains and the second autopsy.

MACC officials have also lodged reports against Suara KeAdilan and Dr Pornthip over alleged leaks of the second report published by the PKR party organ. - MalaysianInsider