A People’s Volunteer Corps (Rela) member who withdrew his police report over a assault last year by Liow Soon Hee, a person with the honorific title of "Datuk", today denied receiving any bribes from Liow to do so.

Melvin Cheong Mun Khai also denied that he had accepted Liow's apology.

"The speculation that the main reason I withdrew the report I made on Aug 18, this year, was due to me receiving bribes or other valuables is incorrect. I withdrew the report voluntarily.

"The main reason I withdrew the report is due to my commitment working from late at night until morning and this burdens me to to come to court to give evidence regarding this case," said Cheong, who works full-time as a bartender.

Cheong, 22, denied that he had been called in by the MACC for investigations following a complaint made by Rela's director of operations Mohamad Razib Buhaini in September.

Mohamad Razib had called for the MACC to investigate Cheong for withdrawing his report against Liow.

The Rela member was today accompanied by his lawyer Yusof Mohamed Salleh, who released the statement above on Cheong's behalf.

Cheong in his statement today also said he did not want to be a puppet with regard to this case.

"I iterate that in the middle of the proceedings (on assault), my two Rela colleagues and I agreed that a compound be imposed on Liow to resolve the issue pertaining to his charge, but Rela's top management did not agree with it.

"This is an individual offence with other individuals. I feel others should not intervene and let us make a choice," he said, adding that the case had gone on for over a year.

It was reported that 30-year-old Liow was charged at the Ampang Jaya Sessions Court for assaulting three Rela members, including Cheong, on Oct 27.

However, as Cheong’s report on the assault had been withdrawn, Liow was thus granted a discharge not amounting to an acquittal regarding the assault on the former.

Besides his charge related to Cheong, Liow claimed trial to three other charges of assaulting the Rela members who had been carrying out their duties at a temple in Kampung Baru Ampang.

Liow was also investigated in relation to drugs-related offences.

He has pleaded not guilty to all charges. 

On Dec 5 last year, Liow reportedly told theSun that he was willing to apologise to the Rela personnel for his aggressive behaviour towards them.