Cops quiz Pua over remarks on monarchy after 77 reports lodged

 

Police have recorded former DAP lawmaker Tony Pua’s statement after close to 80 reports were lodged over his response to a decree by Selangor ruler Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah.

The Selangor sultan had urged politicians to visit Dataran Selangor to better understand and appreciate the meaning of the Rukun Negara.

In a Facebook post, the DAP disciplinary committee chief said he had extended his full cooperation and described the two officers who questioned him for about 40 minutes as “very professional”.

“As part of the statement, I affirmed that I had written the Facebook post myself, without duress from any other parties.

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“When asked about the intent of the post, I responded that it was to share my views of the Rukun Negara. When asked about the meaning of the post, I replied that it was per what was written.

“As to whether the authorities will take any further action, I will have to wait and see. As to which other witnesses they might be taking statements from, I didn’t ask, and I have no clue,” he said, thanking those who had expressed solidarity with him.

Federal Criminal Investigation Department director M Kumar said Pua is being investigated by the department’s Special Investigation Unit under Section 505(b) of the Penal Code for statements conducive to public mischief, as well as Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998.

“We have received a total of 77 police reports to date,” he said.

Backlash

Pua courted backlash over his Facebook post, in which he argued that the powers of the monarchy are confined to specific areas, including matters concerning Islam, Malay customs, and constitutional responsibilities such as appointing menteris besar and consenting to the dissolution of state legislative assemblies.

He stressed that Malaysia was not governed by a system in which royal decrees carried binding force over every aspect of public life.

Pua’s remarks followed the sultan’s decree regarding the Rukun Negara, in which the ruler specifically named DAP assemblyperson Wong Siew Ki and former party leader Ronnie Liu.

The ruler’s comments came amid a dispute surrounding Wong and Liu’s reactions to his call for pig farming to be fully prohibited in Selangor. - Mkini