Teen apologises for stepping on PM's photo

After about 15 hours in police custody, the teenager who was arrested for stepping on a photograph of the prime minister, has apologised to the public.
At a press conference at the DAP headquarters in Kuala Lumpur today, Ong Sing Yee, 19, stressed that she had no intention of committing sedition.

Speaking to reporters through her lawyer, Ong said she was "curious" and had "followed others" who were stepping on the photograph.
"She apologises and emphasises that it wasn't intentional. She had no intention of committing sedition," her lawyer Eric Tan said, translating Ong’s statement in Chinese.
Ong, who was released on police bail from the Dang Wangi district police station in Kuala Lumpur at 2am today, said her apology was meant for the public. 

"And the PM is included as he is part of the public," she said. 

Ong was sent to Kuala Lumpur for questioning after she turned herself in for investigation at the Johor Baru Sentral police station yesterday.

She did so after learning that she was one of the 11 people whose photographs were released by police in connection with the incident. 

'Unaccompanied by lawyer'

According to Tan, Ong and her friend Lim Kian Peng, 20 (left in picture above), left Johor Baru about 6.30pm and arrived in Kuala Lumpur about 10pm and they were questioned by police for four hours. 

"Based on the police bail, both Ong and Lim will have to return to KL for further questioning on Oct 5," Tan said. 

He said that the two were not accompanied by a lawyer when questioned, both in Johor and in Kuala Lumpur. 

Tan said that he did not press to accompany the two when he spoke to the investigating officer at 11 last night as the officer told him the questioning was almost over. 

However, Ong and Lim were only released three hours later. 

"Here is a 19-year-old girl, who was brought from 300km away to record a statement and then left as is, without transportation to send her back or accommodation," Tan said. 

Asked about this, Ong said the police were polite and even informed her that she had the right to remain silent. 

However, she said, she chose to answer all their questions and did not mind having to travel to Kuala Lumpur for the matter as she wanted to give them her full cooperation.