Cease 'unnecessary' probe against Kit Siang, cops told

A DAP leader has urged the police to cease "unnecessary" investigations against party veteran Lim Kit Siang over the latter's remark on non-Malays becoming prime minister.

According to the party's vice chairperson Teresa Kok, this is because Lim was merely stating factual content from the Federal Constitution, and as such, has not committed any offence.

"Surely Lim, in sharing his honest views and in interpreting two articles (under the Constitution), and in exercising free speech, has not committed a crime.

"And if his view is not a crime, then why do the police need to probe him and call him to give a statement?” asked Teresa (above) in a statement.

The Seputeh MP was responding to a report that Lim had been called in by the police to give a statement over his remarks that the Federal Constitution provides that a non-Malay can be a prime minister.

The octogenarian reportedly said this to Malaysian students in Manchester, UK, at the end of last month, and later uploaded the speech on his blog.

Today, Criminal Investigation Department (Investigation and Legal) deputy director Rusdi Mohd Isa said the DAP adviser's statement will be taken tomorrow by the Classified Crime Investigation Unit, Bukit Aman.

He added that the investigation is being carried out under Section 112 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC).

Focus on 'serious crimes'

Elaborating, Teresa said the police have no power to record statements under Section 112 of the CPC if an offence is not classified as a seizable offence.

"It is clear that Lim's legal views do not constitute an offence under our laws, and as such, summoning him to give a statement is highly irregular and unbecoming of the police, who should instead employ their energy and scarce resources to investigate 'serious' crimes that are plaguing the country.

"Apart from the legal angle as propounded, it seems quite ludicrous to subject a man who has been in frontline politics for over five decades.

“It seems oppressive and unjust to subject a man who has been a fierce opposition leader and advocate of democracy and equality to such humiliating injustice," Teresa added.

During his talk in Manchester, Lim said it took the US 230 years before an African-American (Barack Obama) could become president and that he hoped it would not take that long for a non-Malay to become the prime minister of Malaysia.

He also claimed that at present, the statement that a non-Malay could be Malaysia’s prime minister is a “statement of fact”, not a “statement of reality”.

Lim added that there must be a situation where the majority of Malaysians - be it Malays, Chinese, Indians, Kadazans, or Dayaks - can dream the Malaysian Dream and not a mono-ethnic dream.

Under the Federal Constitution, the only requirement for someone to be prime minister, as per Article 43(2)(a), is that the premier be an MP, who in the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s judgement has majority support.

There are no other criteria attached for the appointment.

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