Police confirm probe into Malaysiakini article on Annuar

CID chief says journalist to be called to help investigations after six reports lodged alleging mischief.

KUCHING: Police have confirmed they have begun investigations into an article published by Malaysiakini about Barisan Nasional’s election candidate Dr Annuar Rapaee.

Bernama reported Sarawak CID chief Dev Kumar MM Sree Shunmugam as saying six police reports had been lodged about the article, written by a Malaysiakini journalist.

“We will call the journalist to facilitate investigations,” he told Bernama today.

The police reports had alleged that the article could disturb public order in the state.

Dev Kumar said investigations were being carried out under the Penal Code and the Communications and Multimedia Act.

Section 505(c) of the Penal Code makes it an offence to publish a report likely to cause fear or alarm to the public. It also covers incitement. Conviction carries a maximum jail term of two years or fine or both.

On Friday, the BN candidate for Nangka, Dr Annuar Rapaee, had complained that his remarks about Muslims in Sarawak had been taken out of context by Malaysiakini.

He denied he had ever called for Sarawak Muslims to vote for Barisan Nasional to ensure that a Muslim Chief Minister would lead them. Instead, he said, he had merely told Muslims to be thankful because others were willing to support and trust Muslims to be leaders and had called on participants to continue supporting chief minister Adenan Satem.