Whistleblower group chief says cops rushed him for statement over Anwar book
National Oversight and Whistleblowers (NOW) executive director Akmal Nasir has questioned police haste in wanting his statement on the sale and distribution of the Bahasa Malaysia book “Reformasi 2.0: Fakta Kes Anwar”.
Akmal who had an event in Johor Baru yesterday said he had to rush back as the investigating officer insisted that a statement must be recorded by today as he needed to submit his findings to the Attorney-General on Monday.
"He was in a hurry. When I told him that I was in Johor, he said he would come down to take my statement. I discussed it with my lawyer and told him that I would only give my statement in my lawyer's presence," said Akmal.
He questioned the police action and wondered if it has to do with Parti Keadilan Rakyat strategic director Rafizi Ramli’s sedition case.
Police last month initiated a probe against Rafizi under the Sedition Act, over the book which details the facts surrounding PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s sodomy cases.
The PKR lawmaker sees the investigation as another attempt by Putrajaya to stifle dissent through the draconian act.
Rafizi said Umno bloggers had orchestrated the whole campaign to lodge a police report against the book, accusing him of tarnishing the image of the judiciary with his book.
He, however, sees it as part of a consistent pattern in which authorities use the law selectively to silence their critics.
Akmal presented himself at the Dang Wangi police headquarters today.
He was accompanied by his lawyer Michelle Yesudas and Rafizi.
In the 3pm meeting with police, Akmal was asked 10 questions pertaining to a website used to sell the book "Reformasi 2.0: Fakta Kes Anwar" which was written by Rafizi.
"I do not know what their agenda is. I also do not know if the investigation today is against me or to facilitate investigation on Rafizi's sedition case.
"The officer did not tell. He just said the investigation needs to be completed as the investigation paper needed to be handed in by Monday," said Akmal.
Meanwhile, Rafizi said he was present to give Akmal support as it was the latter's "first time".
"This is first time he being called by the police. So I am just here to accompany him. He will get used to all this after this," said Rafizi.
Early last month, DAP vice-chairman Teresa Kok was charged under the Sedition Act for her satirical Chinese New Year video “Onederful Malaysia”.
In February, the late Karpal Singh was also found guilty under the same act for having questioned the Perak Sultan over the 2009 Perak constitutional crisis.
Last year, PKR vice-president and Batu MP Tian Chua was served under the Sedition Act for remarks over the Sulu incursion of Lahad Datu, Sabah in February last year.
He and social activists Hishamuddin Rais and Adam Adli Abd Halim had also been charged with the same act in May last year, for remarks at a forum at the Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall that month.
The slew of charges flies in the face of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s pledge in 2012 to abolish the Sedition Act, as part of reform promises made to halt a slide in support for Barisan Nasional. – June 22, 2014.
