Alleged cover-up: Bukit Aman’s sexual crimes division takes over
Lawyers for Liberty urges police to probe into alleged molestation by politician
THE politician embroiled in the alleged molest case involving a 15-year-old girl in Perlis, says it was all ‘just a misunderstanding’. Meanwhile, Lawyers for Liberty says the state police chief’s statement, that the victim had retracted her report, should be viewed with grave concern. The ministry concerned has also weighed in on the case.
POLICE should know that any report lodged on a crime can never be retracted. Non-governmental organisation Lawyers for Liberty said it was “strange” for Perlis police to say that the report by a 15-yearold girl, who claimed she was molested by a politician, “had been retracted”.
“This is baffling. It must be investigated. Which part of the law or procedure is the senior assistant commissioner referring to? The fact that the child suddenly retracted the report is a cause for concern.
“Did they question the politician? If the report lodged by the girl is baseless, we need to know why she made such an allegation,” its executive director, Latheefa Koya, said.
She urged police to take action. Last night, the politician concerned, when contacted, said it was “just a misunderstanding” between him and the alleged victim.
He said he had known her and her family for two years and that it did not happen as alleged.
“I do not want to prolong the issue because I feel sorry for her and because she has a bright future. I had no idea her family retracted the report until they told me.”
The New Straits Times Press yesterday learnt that Bukit Aman’s Sexual, Women and Child Investigation Department is now handling the case. The alleged politician and the victim are expected to be called in today.
Lawyers for Liberty had an issue with the state police chief’s statement against Malaysian Crime Watch (MyWatch) chairman Datuk R. Sri Sanjeevan.
Senior Assistant Commissioner Noor Mushar Mohd reportedly told Sanjeevan, who claimed that there were attempts to cover up the case, that the latter “was not aware of the force’s procedures”.
Mushar had said: “The complainant retracted the report on the same day it was made last week.
“Despite the retraction, police carried out an investigation and some people were called in to have their statements recorded.
“In fact, police are waiting for the deputy public prosecutor’s advice on whether to proceed with the case for prosecution.”
He said Sanjeevan could be charged with interfering with a police investigation.
“It is best for him (Sanjeevan) not to interfere with police matters because his allegation shows that he is unaware of police procedures.”
Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister Hannah Yeoh tweeted her disgust at the alleged crime, urging the authorities to investigate into the alleged molestation.
“Leave no stone unturned @PDRMsia (the Malaysian police official Twitter account). If proven true, it is most unfortunate that protection of children has to start in the august house (Dewan Rakyat).”
Sanjeevan, in his tweets, had claimed that some people tried to cover up the alleged case.
He claimed that the politician had allegedly threatened the girl that if she did not retract her report, she and her family would face consequences.
Sanjeevan, speaking to the NSTP earlier, claimed that the girl was molested by the politician in a car on Oct 20.
On how he found out about the incident, Sanjeevan said someone told him about it.
MyWatch, he said, had sent a representative to meet the alleged victim and her family, but the attempt proved futile.