Cops caught me off guard as I thought we had a deal, Dr Akmal says of KK arrest

 

KOTA KINABALU: Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh says his arrest at the Kota Kinabalu International Airport on Friday (April 5) morning was surprising because he had made arrangements to see police the following day.

"I wonder why they couldn't wait for me to go back to the peninsula because a deal had been made with the police in Dang Wangi (Kuala Lumpur)," the Umno Youth chief said after his release at 12.10pm.

"I was told that my statement had to be recorded today.

"I asked if they could wait, (but) they said it must be done today.

"So I said no problem and (gave) my statement," he added.

Dr Muhamad Akmal had just arrived at about 10.15am on a flight from Kuala Lumpur and cleared Immigration when he was immediately approached by plainclothes policemen.

They asked him to follow them to the Kota Kinabalu police headquarters in Kepayan, a seven-minute ride from the airport.

He was seen in a social video post looking calm while entering a police car with three plainclothes policemen.

As he left, Dr Muhamad Akmal gave the thumbs-up sign to a few Umno members at the airport and said: "No fear, no surrender."

He said later police told him that the investigation was a sedition probe of a speech he gave in Kelantan.

"I was not told of any other cases (reports)," he said, appearing composed.

" I would like to thank the Kota Kinabalu police for treating me very well."

He said there would be full cooperation with the investigation and he was prepared to face any challenges.

"If there is any case, I am ready to fight it in court. I am not afraid.

"(We speak) the voice of truth. We have not committed any offence. Umno Youth will always give its full support," he said, adding that he was prepared to give further statements to the police if requested.

He had come to Sabah to attend Iftar Ramadan with Sabah Umno Youth leaders in Beaufort, about 100km from here.

Dr Muhamad Akmal said he would proceed with the programme Friday night and return to Kuala Lumpur on Saturday (April 6).

"This incident has not broken my spirit. The programme (in Sabah) continues. The Umno Youth leaders of Sabah... give me the strength to carry on our struggle," he said.

Sabah Immigration director Datuk SH Sitti Saleha Habib Yussof, when contacted, dismissed talk that Akmal had been listed as persona non grata by the state government.

"As of now, Immigration has not stopped any Umno Youth members from entering the state via Kota Kinabalu airport. He (Dr Muhamad Akmal) is not on our entry ban list," she said.

There have been calls by Sarawak and Sabah activists for Dr Muhamad Akmal and four others to be barred from both Bornean states for allegedly contributing to the escalation of racial and religious tensions in the country.

The others are controversial preachers Mohd Ridhuan Tee Abdullah, Zamri Vinoth Kalimuthu, Shakir Nasoha and Firdaus Wong. - Star