More than 84 reports: Police quiz Karpal - Malaysiakini

S Pathmawathy | Feb 11, 09 5:10pm

DAP veteran Karpal Singh was today summoned to the Kuala Lumpur police headquarters in connection with the avalanche of police reports filed against him.

Kuala Lumpur police chief Muhammad Sabtu Osman said more than 84 police reports have been filed throughout the country against the opposition leader.

The reports were in response to the veteran lawyer's intention to file a legal suit against Perak ruler Sultan Azlan Shah over the political turmoil in the state.

The wheelchair-bound politician, who spent more than two hours at the police headquarters, told reporters that he was called in pertaining to two reports lodged in Kuala Lumpur and Penang respectively.

"I have done what is in my capacity as a people's representative and for the good of the country, now it depends on the attorney-general to take the necessary action," he said.

Umno Youth warned

Karpal also warned Umno Youth, which staged a demonstration outside his office yesterday, to be prepared to face the consequences of their action.

"If it is found that what I have done does not contravene any law, then they who filed the police reports stand for lodging false police reports," he said.

The veteran politician also called on Inspector-General of Police Musa Hassan to carefully evaluate the reports before taking any action.

As for taking the sultan to court, Karpal said: "As far as I am concerned the sultan can be taken to court as I was initially charged to look into the matter but (Opposition Leader) Anwar (Ibrahim) and Pakatan Rakyat feel that the sultan must not be sued."

"In my opinion, he (the sultan) must be sued because there is no other way out to put out that the sultan's action were unconstitutional," he added.

He said Pakatan Rakyat leaders have instructed another panel of lawyers to look into the legal avenues of the crisis in Perak

Stressing that his stand remained the same, Karpal however noted that he cannot file the suit against the sultan in his personal capacity.

He also called on Sultan Azlan, who was once a lord president, to clear the air on whether he could be sued.

'We were there to protect him'

During a press conference at the same venue earlier, Muhammad Sabtu slammed Karpal for making false remarks about the police.

He was referring to Karpal's allegation that the police were 'cooperating' with the protesters who gathered outside his office.

"He (Karpal) had alleged that one of my police officers had told him that although the protest was illegal, the police had orders from their superiors not to disperse the crowd," he said.

Refuting this, Muhammad Sabtu said the police were there to protect Karpal, his staff and his property.

"Karpal made a personal statement... the police have investigated the protest which did not have a permit and a police report was lodged yesterday," he added.

He said the police have identified the organiser of the protest who is Bukit Bintang Umno Youth chief Tengku Azman Tengku Zainal Abidin.

Muhammad Sabtu said the organiser and those behind the protest would be called in for questioning over the next few days.

"The police is colour blind in performing our duties, we don't differentiate according to race. Imagine if the police were not there to keep the peace and protect him (Karpal) ... what would have happened if the crowd grew unruly?" he asked.

He also said that if Karpal files an application for police protection, the police would definitely consider this.

However, Karpal later refuted the police chief's remark about the police not being ordered to allow the demonstration to proceed.

"I cannot be intimated, I won't be intimated. Protest is not our culture, be a gentleman and submit a memorandum," he said.