Seputeh MP, Ms Kok released from ISA detention

Seputeh Member of Parliament Teresa Kok Suh Sim was released today after eight days of detention under the Internal Security Act (ISA).

The DAP national organising secretary was released at the Jalan Travers police station here at about 1.30 pm.

Her parents, father Kok Kim Tong and mother Poh Seh Kwon, and her lawyer N. Sankara Nair were at the police station when she was released.

"I am happy that I have been released and I'm OK," she told reporters gathered at the police station.

To a question, Kok said: "I do not know why I was released today, just as I do not know why I was detained."

Meanwhile The Star reports that Seputeh MP Teresa Kok was released from detention under the Internal Security Act at about 1pm on Friday, her lawyer Sankara Nair said.

He said she had called him and he was now on the way to the Jalan Travers police station here to meet her.

Kok, 44, is expected to give a press conference at the DAP headquarters in Petaling Jaya at 3pm.

The Kinrara assemblyman and senior Selangor state executive councillor was detained one week ago, together with Malaysia Today editor Raja Petra Kamarudin and Sin Chew Daily reporter Tan Hoon Cheng.

Tan was released after 18 hours.

Kok was accused of petitioning a mosque to reduce the volume for azan (the call to prayer), something which she had vehemently denied.

The accusation surfaced in a Sept 10 article in Utusan Malaysia quoting former Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Khir Toyo.

The accusations were also refuted by the Kinrara mosque committee chairman and Kota Raja MP Dr Siti Mariah had lodged a police report against Dr Mohd Khir on this issue.

Kok also lodged a police report against the Malay daily, its columnist Zaini Hassan and Dr Khir.

“I believe one of the excuses for my ISA detention is in relation to that article and I place Utusan Malaysia, Zaini Hassan and Dr Mohd Khir Toyo responsible for my arrest,” she had stated in her police report.

On Monday, Kok filed a habeas corpus application in the High Court for her release citing that her arrest and detention under the Internal Security Act was unlawful.

Sankara said then that the court had fixed Sept 23 for hearing but said they would apply for Sept 22 instead as he had another case and Karpal Singh would be in East Malaysia on that date. (TheStar)