Yap demands apology from Indonesian Consulate for allegation
SIBU: Lawyer Yap Hoi Liong is demanding a public apology from the Indonesian Consulate for what he ( Yap) said was an unfound allegation against his client, suggesting the client was involved in a murder case.
He advised the Indonesian Consulate to investigate thoroughly and with cogent evidence before making the police report.
Yap, who was acting for Kong Kim Swee, also urged Chief Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Abang Openg to look into the matter and take measures to prevent a recurrence.
“The Indonesian Consulate should not simply make wrongful accusations as this may affect bilateral relationship between the two countries,” he told a press conference yesterday afternoon.
According to Yap, Kong and his wife were detained by the police for alleged involvement in a murder case.
He said the Indonesian Consulate had apparently written a letter to the police on Feb 17, quoting the source from two Indonesian maids that a man was beaten to death at a house in Jambul Road before the body was thrown into the river.
After receiving the reports, police detained Kong and his wife on Feb 21 for investigation under Section 12 Anti-Human Trafficking Act 2007.
Yap said his client and wife were in a daze as to what happened to them as they were never involved in any human trafficking activity.
“It just happened that they were the owners of the house and for that, they were detained,” he said.
Police investigations later traced the two Indonesian maids to a café at Pahlawan Road where they were working before police roped all the staff and workers for their statements to be taken.
Upon investigation, Yap said police found his client and wife had been wrongly accused.
“It caused tremendous embarrassment to them,” he said.
He said the police reports lodged by the Indonesian Consulate implied that his client and wife were involved in the murder.
He said it also gave the impression that the police had failed to maintain public order and that the police were not even aware of the alleged incident before the Indonesian Consulate lodged his report.