Cops detain ex-journalist for four days over 'death threat'

Former Utusan Malaysia reporter Hata Wahari was released yesterday evening after spending four days in police custody.

He was detained in connection with a Facebook post which read "Lim Kit Siang ni sudah wajib dibunuh" (It is necessary for Lim Kit Siang to be murdered).

The Facebook post was published on a Facebook account with the handle "Hata Wahari". A police report on the matter was lodged by DAP Youth chief Howard Lee.

When contacted, Hata said he was a lifelong DAP member and he would not threaten to kill his own party leader. Lim is a member of DAP's central executive committee.

"I was remanded for writing something that has been misunderstood. This is the first time (I have been arrested)," he said.

"My entry into DAP was announced by Lim Kit Siang's son (Lim Guan Eng). I have never wronged DAP.

"I just voiced my opinion... They (the party leaders) never contacted me. It's not that they don't know who I am. I find this strange."

Hata joined DAP in 2012. In the run-up to the last general election, however, he urged Malays to reject DAP for fielding Jamaliah Jamaludin as a candidate.

Hata argued that this was an insult to Malays because Jamaliah was the granddaughter of Shamsiah Fakeh, a well-known Communist Party of Malaya figure. - Mkini