Teresa Kok

It has been an exhausting day for me yesterday. Woke up rather late yesterday feeling fatigued.

I held a press conference together with Kit Siang at Parliament house after attending the open house hosted by Speakers of dewan rakyat and negara yesterday morning. Speaker of Dewan Rakyat Tan Sri Ramli Ngah and his wife greeted us. She recognised me and said the MMS clip of the lock-up girl is horrible and unbelievable. Ramli Ngah said the same thing too. I then urged Ramli Ngah to approve my request for the debate of emergency motion under 18(1) of the standing orders. Ramli Ngah quickly smiled and said this is a different issue. He dared not make any commitment.

While I was mingling around with other VIPs, Speaker of Senate Tan Sri Pawanteh saw me and immediately commented on the visual of the lock-up girl which appeared on TV. He said before he watched the TV news, he was reading books about emotion and feelings before sleep, after watching the MMS clips shown on TV news, he errupted in anger and disgust, he then understood what he read in the book.

Most MPs and VIPs at the function said the same thing to me, and they commended me for taking up the issue although they are from the government. I feel encouraged, but I also think that credit should be given to both the cabinet ministers who spoke up on the matter, i.e. Nazri and Azmi Khalid, as well as the media for highlighting this issue. The wide media coverage has somehow forced the police to take the matter seriously.

I read in the papers that IGP Bakri refused to speak to the press after attending the function.

The PM came back from overseas, and on TV showed a serious face while speaking to the media on this matter, there was no smile on his face at all. I believe they must be feeling most embarassed and sad.

Although I am of the opinion that the IGP should comment on issue like this, I also think that he must be feeling very sad as his efforts to reform the police force has not been successful and that’s why he was speechless.

PM and DPM’s statements on “no cover-up” have also made Noh Omar speechless now. As this is now a national issue, he cannot say that since I didn’t go to him, he doesn’t have to intervene. LOL

I found out some journalists received the MMS visual before I did but they dare not report about it as it was too sensitive. The papers only dared to carry it and put it on front page because two ministers spoke up on the matter, so it is safe for them to highlight it.

I am quite surprised to learn reader annuarmusa called me an evil who tried to break down the police force. Most of the people know that I don’t have such intention but the MMS visual clip is an obvious evidence that lots of abuses have been happening in the police lock-ups, and this kind of abuses need to be checked. Thanks for the supports from the rest of you on this issue.

I have been told by the police to go to the PJ Police station to have my statement recorded. I told the lady police officer that I am very very busy and she said she can record my statement even at late night. I then told her that I will give my statement to her today at about 11am. I then informed the press too.

I went to Anwar Ibrahim’s open-house at about 6.15pm yesterday when their workers are cleaning up the place. Wan Azizah saw me and said that she wanted to highlight the plight of a reformasi girl named Nora who was asked to strip in police lock-up when she was detained. I told her that I have been looking for Nora up and down and finally I saw her in the open house. I said we must bring the matter up and highlight it again as the police have been abusing their powers by asking detainees to strip without valid, legal reasons. We then asked Nora to come to Parliament house for press conference next week.

Ezam told me he was asked to strip when he was arrested. He said all the guys weree asked to strip in the police lock-up. He then advised me to be careful and try not to move around alone at night. He is the second person to tell me to be careful.

Yes, I must be careful. I think.