From The Star
By Priscilla Dielenberg
GEORGE TOWN: DAP chairman Karpal Singh is questioning what he described as the “unholy haste” at which the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission announced it had good and strong evidence against Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim for abuse of power.
“As MP (Bukit Gelugor), I demand to know from the chief commissioner, Datuk Seri Ahmad Said Hamdan, the basis on which he made this very serious statement publicly.”
He said it was a very serious matter for Ahmad Said to publicly announce, before a decision was made to prosecute, that the commission had good and strong evidence that Khalid misused his powers over the maintenance of his personal car and the distribution of 46 cows for slaughter in his Bandar Tun Razak parliamentary constituency.
Karpal Singh said he would raise the matter in Parliament, which was currently in session, if he did not get a proper reply.
“He does not even know Section 58 of the MACC Act, which states that a prosecution for an offence under the Act shall not be instituted except by or with the consent of the Public Prosecutor.”
Karpal Singh also said Selangor Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Khir Toyo should not shoot off his mouth by saying that in the event Khalid was charged, he should resign until the case was concluded.
“The question of resigning does not arise because the law is very clear. A person is presumed innocent until proven guilty, that’s elementary,” he said.
Karpal Singh was speaking at a press conference at his legal firm in Green Hall yesterday after his statement was recorded by ASP Mohamad Ismail Jamaluddin in connection to his report lodged on Friday on receiving live bullets and a death threat through the mail.
Karpal Singh said the case had been classified as criminal intimidation by anonymous communication under Section 507 of the Penal Code, which carries a jail term of up to two years; as well as for threatening to cause death or grievous hurt under Section 506, which carries a jail term of up to seven years, or a fine, or both.
