Teresa challenges Utusan to sue her

"Bring it on!" was the response of Selangor executive councilor for investment, trade and industry Teresa Kok when asked about the call by certain non-governmental organisations (NGOs) for Malay daily Utusan Malaysia to sue her.

The NGOs said that Kok should be sued for making all kinds of allegations against the paper, thus putting its credibility on the line.

Questioned by reporters about this when met after the state executive council (exco) meeting, she said: "If they can find a case against me, then sue me!"

"But now they want to sue me based on what? Based on something I never did?" she asked.

Kok was arrested under the Internal Security Act (ISA) on Sept 12 because she was apparently considered as a potential threat to national security for inciting racial sentiments when she allegedly petitioned a mosque to reduce the volume for the azan (call to prayer). Kok who is also Seputeh parliamentarian and Kinrara assemblywoman had denied this happened and her non-involvement was later supported by the committee of the mosque involved. She was subsequently released on Sept 19.

Kok’s arrest and that relating to the use of the ISA was also discussed in the exco meeting where it was decided that the state will initiate legal action against Utusan Malaysia who published articles alleging Kok’s involvement in the petition by residents to reduce the volume of the azan, pending a response from the daily.

State excutive councilor (exco) for health, plantation workers, poverty and compassionate government Dr Xavier Jayakumar said the state will send a letter of demand to Utusan Malaysia via its lawyers Derek and Co asking them to retract the false allegations and apologise for the article published on Sept 10 in the column titled Cuit written by Zaini Hassan.

"If they fail to respond within seven days or give a satisfactory response then we will initiate a legal suit," he said. The letter will be sent to Utusan Malaysia within the week.

Kok said that she too will also be taking legal action against those responsible for her arrest including the daily.

Meanwhile, speaking on the state’s plans to amend laws and the Standing Orders to compel key witnesses to come forward when inquiries are held, Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim said: "Checking on the use of public funds is not a waste of time and money."

Responding to criticisms against the plan which some quarters say is a toothless in dealing with the issue of mismanagement of funds, he said: "There are two principals we are running this state on that is - transparency and accountability."

These amendments will not only compel those in power to be more responsible, it will also be a step towards learning how we can fix our methods of making decisions, he added.

Abdul Khalid said by understanding the decisions made we can improve on the way we delegate our authority and subsequently monitor our performance and so forth.

Asked whether inquiries as held in the past will be a waste of time as although the persons involved are named, no action is taken, he said: "That’s what the Barisan Nasional government has said for 51 years."

"They have not seen us in action yet, so this is a start," Abdul Khalid said.

Kok who was also present at the press conference equated the inquiry to the Public Accounts Committee and Parliament Select Committee at the Dewan Rakyat level.

Abdul Khalid also announced that the state has allocated RM2 million to help people affected by storm which hit the Straits of Klang, Rantau Panjang, Tanjung Karang, Ampang, Sabak and Sungai Panjang.

State Exco for Welfare, Women Affairs, Science, Technology and Innovation Rodziah Ismail also said that the state is working together with the National disaster and relief management committee to face the onslaught of more bad weather expected until the end of this month as predicted by the Meteorological Department.

- TheSun