KUALA LUMPUR – DAP’s Tony Pua has insisted that his series of social media posts on former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s reduced sentence contains no seditious elements.
Following his summoning to Bukit Aman police headquarters here today, he said he provided full cooperation to the authorities and answered all 60 questions posed to him.
“I cannot think about anything seditious in those postings. I read (my posts) once, twice… six times, every night, (asking) how were they seditious?
“We hope that the police can conduct a full but short investigation, and reject all allegations made by parties out there,” he told reporters when met outside of the police headquarters.
However, the former Damansara MP shared that the police report against him was lodged by unnamed Umno representatives in Johor.
Asked about whether his postings were considered disrespectful as DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke had called for calm following the Pardons Board’s announcement, Pua said “no”.
He also said he received many words of support from fellow DAP members, without elaborating further.
At the same time, Pua said he is not disappointed by the police report lodged by Umno, but it is a waste of time.
“Especially the police’s (time), as they have to investigate nonsensical matters. (Wasting) my time is fine, as I am retired.”
Despite being asked 60 questions, he said the session was brief as the police posed repetitive questions for each of his social media postings, such as whether he was the one who wrote and uploaded the posts, and using what device.
He added that the police would be confiscating his “notebook” tablet, and have requested access to his Facebook account.
Speaking about his dinosaur-print polo tee, he said, “nice right?”
Pua was at Bukit Aman today after being instructed by the police to present himself as part of an investigation into his alleged seditious social media postings.
He was accompanied by several fellow DAP members, including party national chairman Lim Guan Eng, Klang MP V. Ganabatirau, Subang Jaya assemblyman Michelle Ng, and Kg Tunku assemblyman Lim Yi Wei.
Yesterday, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain confirmed that Pua was being investigated under Section 4(1) of the Sedition Act 1948, and for misuse of network facilities under Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998.
Police cited the following posts by Pua – “Trust me. It’s not a scam”, “oh wow, after all these years, NAJIB/UMNO cybertrooper still love me”, “I beg your pardon?”, “can someone send me to jail for 1 year and in exchange, pay me RM50 mil?”, “Pretty please?”, and “King Klep pardoned!!”
Pua had been making various comments about Najib’s sentence reduction, ever since the Pardons Board secretariat for the Federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur, Labuan and Putrajaya announced it on Friday.
It struck a nerve with Umno too, to the point that its Youth wing lodged a police report over the matter. – February 5, 2024