Cops question Abdul Malik over Zunar exhibition

Moral support: Dr Toh (second from right) speaking to reporters after giving his statement to the police. With him are (from second left) Dr Jayabalan, Cheah and other Bersih members.

GEORGE TOWN: State executive councillor Datuk Abdul Malik Abul Kassim has been questioned by police over cartoonist Zunar’s exhibition.

Two policemen from the George Town district police headquarters met with him at his Komtar office at about 6.15pm yesterday and recorded his statement.

“They interviewed me for 30 minutes about the exhibition on Friday and my involvement with Zunar,” he said.

Abdul Malik, who is also Batu Maung assemblyman, was accompanied by his lawyer, Kebun Bungah assemblyman Cheah Kah Peng.

Zunar, whose real name is Zulkifli S.M. Anwarul Haque, was detained under Section 4(1) of the Sedition Act on Saturday and released the next day after police failed to get a remand order.

His exhibition was disrupted on Friday by a group of men, led by Penang Umno Youth chief Datuk Rafizal Abdul Rahim, who later lodged a police report against Zunar.

Northern region Bersih chairman Dr Toh Kin Woon also gave a statement at the George Town district police headquarters at about 1.15pm the same day over the gatherings at Esplanade and in front of the police contingent headquarters in Penang Road.

Dr Toh, 72, said he and an aide were questioned for an hour about the two Sunday night gatherings.

“I do not want to say anything about the permit for the gathering in Penang Road because it could prejudice my case if I’m charged,” he said when asked if Bersih had applied for a permit to hold the gathering.

He was speaking to reporters after giving his statement to the police.

Cheah, who is also Dr Toh’s lawyer, said the gathering at Esplanade was at Speaker’s Corner, a public area.

He too declined to say if they had a permit to hold the gathering in front of the police contingent headquarters.

Also present were Bayan Baru MP Sim Tze Tzin and Batu Uban assemblyman Dr T. Jayabalan.

George Town OCPD Asst Comm Mior Faridalathrash Wahid said Dr Toh was being investigated under Section 9(5) of the Peaceful Assembly Act.