Police today recorded a statement from DAP's Seremban MP Anthony Loke following an alleged statement he made last week in support of a mass demonstration calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.

Met at the Dang Wangi district police headquarters where his statement was taken down, Loke said he was notified by the police last night to turn up today.

He was being investigated under Section 505(b) of the Penal Code for allegedly uttering the statement at the Parliament House lobby last week, Loke added.

He said police themselves had lodged a report against him after the alleged statement was published in the press.

"A report was lodged against me either on July 10 or 11 by a policeman after a tweet by the Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar," he revealed.

"It is totally ridiculous because the police themselves cannot tolerate any peaceful demonstrations, while the law itself permits peaceful demonstrations.

Loke pointed out it was not an offence to demand for the prime minister to resign especially with the allegations he is facing now and it was the right of any person in this country ask that he step down.

"We are a laughing stock to consider any statements as seditious or a crime when it is calling for the resignation of any politician or person from any position," said Loke further.

'Demonstrations a tool'

His lawyer, Thomas Soo, said that Section 505 (b) is applied when a person makes a statement with intent to cause fear or alarm to the public or to commit any offence against the state or public order.

"I am very surprised because whatever I have said does not violate any rule of law and I am not ruling out any possibilities of mass demonstrations as Najib is being linked to a huge allegation," said Loke.

"Demonstrations are used as a tool in democracy to pressure the PM or any politician to resign when they are accused of scandal and corruptions though it is the PM's decision whether he wants to resign or not after the demonstration.

"I would like to remind IGP Khalid that the Peaceful Assembly Act was passed  by Parliament and the rakyat are entitled to peaceful assemblies.

Loke said this when commenting on the allegation made by The Asian Wall Street Journal that RM2.6 billion from state agency 1MDB was found in Najib's private savings account.

BARATHI SELVAM is a Malaysiakini intern.

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