Serdang MP Teo gives statement to cops over surau incident

Malaysia Chronicle

Serdang MP Teo Nie Ching has given her statement to the police who had called her in because of the recent ruckus kicked up by Umno leaders over her entering a surau or Muslim prayer hall in Kajang some two months ago.

Teo agreed to give her statement after the police informed her that they wanted to know what had actually happened and not because they wanted to prosecute her. She had initially been reluctant to do so because of the high-handed manner in the police had approached her.

"I believe I have not committed any offence and I asked the police to investigate the matter and resolve it quickly," she told reporters outside the police station.

Nie Ching was accompanied by Selangor DAP chairman Ean Yong Hian Wah and Puchong MP Gobind Singh Deo. They arrived at the station at 10.45am and left at 12.30pm.

Creating hatred

Over the past few months, there has been a concerted attack by Umno against DAP leaders, where situations have deliberately been blown up in a bid to create suspicion and hatred amongst the Malay community for the non-Malays.

PAS leaders have stoutly defended Nie Ching's entry into the prayer hall on the grounds that she was invited by the surau committee and she had gone there with good intentions.

Nevertheless, the Umno media led by Utusan painted her visit to hand over a cheque on behalf of the Selangor government as an attempt to trample on Muslim rights.

The Umno-controlled Selangor Islamic Affairs Council (MAIS) also suspended the surau committee and issued Nie Ching a warning letter.

After her interview with the police, Nie Ching recounted on Twitter that she had been quizzed by Investigating Officer Badrul. Some of the question that she was asked included:

"Did YB understand that such an action (her entering the surau) would not create a harmonious situation? Did YB feel that YB had caused the Muslim community unhappiness?"

The Investigating Officer also told her "Some people lodge a police complaint, so we must investigate."

In response, Nie Ching had asked: "If I lodged a police report against someone for entering a museum, would the police also investigate and then close the file."