Don't meddle in 'sex for favours' case, Vell Paari tells MIC leaders

MIC treasurer-general S Vell Paari has called on party leaders and members not to meddle in the case involving a former branch leader accused of soliciting sex from teenagers in return for favours and employment.

“We should let the police and the authorities do their job.

“It is not in our power to settle this issue between the victims' families and this man. We are neither the police, court or attorney-general.

“What he did was wrong and there is no compromise. This man must be dealt with the full force of the law,” Vell Paari added in a statement today.

He said MIC should instead focus its efforts and resources on helping those who allegedly fell prey to this individual.

The MIC leader also expressed puzzlement as to why no police report was lodged against this person when he was apprehended by the family members of one of his alleged victims in 2014.

“If action had been taken then, many more victims could have been saved,” he said.

MIC leadership 'in the dark' on this

Contacted later, Vell Paari told Malaysiakini that as far as he knew, the party leadership was in the dark about these incidents, news of which had surfaced after the latest case.

“I for one had no knowledge. I am not sure if, at the division level, there were those who were aware of his transgressions.

“I will push for an internal investigation to determine if there was a cover-up or if those who knew chose to remain silent on the matter,” he said.

Vell Paari was also concerned that the latest case, which came to light following the leak of an audio recording of a telephone conversation between the man, who is a school teacher, and a teenager's mother, could just be the “tip of the iceberg”

“Based on the recording... he had sexually assaulted girls below the age of 18. He claimed that he is having sexual encounters with seven to eight SPM students and in return they get better marks.

“My concern is that there could be many more cases involving him that we do not know of. This sexual assault has been going on for four years or more and the number of victims could increase once the police investigation begins,” he added.

Vell Paari said he has also contacted Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Azalina Othman Said, who oversees legal affairs, to seek her advice and assistance.

He also urged inspector-general of police Mohd Fuzi Harun to order the immediate arrest of this individual.

In the leaked audio recording, the man had told a woman that he would secure employment for her daughter if the girl slept with him.- Mkini