‘DAP man obstructed the law’

KUALA LUMPUR: MCA has criticised a DAP leader for obstructing the due process of law by lodging a report ‘’on behalf’’ of the witness in Paul Yong Choo Kiong’s alleged rape case.

The leader should have advised the witness to directly file a police report, said the party’s government affairs monitoring committee chief coordinator Dr Wong Kok Fye.

‘’The leader’s action has indicated that DAP, as a political party, has directly gotten involved in this case that should be investigated freely.

‘’This is regrettable as the witness should have made the police report himself, trusting that the police have the ability to protect his safety.

‘’The action of the leader has destroyed the neutrality of a very valuable evidence,’’ he said at a press conference here yesterday.

Also present was MCA International Communication and Diplomacy Bureau chief Dr Tee Ching Seng.

On Aug 22, Perak state speaker Datuk Ngeh Koo Ham lodged a police report, claiming that a man who brought the Indonesian maid to lodge a police report over her alleged rape by Yong had received RM100,000.

Ngeh also claimed that the man was threatened by an individual with a gun not to reveal the matter.

He added that the information from the man was made known to him at a hotel here at 6pm on the same day.

Wong said that before the report was lodged, many DAP leaders also met the witness, which could also jeopardise his neutrality.

‘’We are in doubt if the statement made by the witness were effected with the interest of DAP leaders,’’ he said, adding that the police and prosecutor should be given the space to investigate without any interference.

Yong, who was charged with raping his former Indonesian maid, claimed trial at the Sessions Court here on Aug 23.

In a statement issued on Sunday, Yong said he would take a leave of absence from his official duties as a Perak executive council member and concentrate on his rape trial to clear his name.

Praising the police force’s professionalism in handling the case, Tee said it was regrettable that some leaders from Pakatan Harapan chose to politicise a criminal case.

Since it is a court case now, he said the bureau would keep monitoring the progress, including conducting a watching brief to ensure there was no bias against the suspect and victim. -Star