‘Claim a cheap shot by Loke’

SEPANG: Senate president Tan Sri S. A. Vigneswaran has described the Transport Minister’s accusations that he breached security protocol and violated the dress code by wearing sandals at the VIP lane in the KL International Airport as “cheap publicity”.

In a press conference earlier, Minister Anthony Loke showed three minutes of security footage of the MIC president being stopped by officers at the VIP lane at 10.14pm on Nov 14 for not following the proper dress code.

However, Vigneswaran, who was wearing a red collared shirt, long pants and sandals, did not stop and went downstairs into the VIP lobby area before heading to the departure gate.

Vigneswaran, alleged Loke, did not only violate the dress code but had encroached into a security area without going through proper checks.

“It is an encroachment of a security area as he entered without a security pass. I want him to tender a public apology,” he told reporters here yesterday.

He also accused Vigneswaran of ticking off staff who tried to explain the protocol and refusing to undergo a body search.

Loke said he had exposed the incident for transparency’s sake, adding that it had nothing to do with Vigneswaran being an Opposition member.

“This is for public information and I want to send a strong message that everybody, including VIPs and ministers or top leaders, must follow all the rules and regulations.

“Those who want to enter (the VIP lanes) must have a tag. Without a tag, how can the security personnel know if you are authorised or not?

“Nobody is excluded from going through proper security checks and body searches, including me,” he said, adding that he viewed the case seriously because a VIP had set a bad example.

Making a point: Loke pointing to video footage of Vigneswaran walking in the VIP lane while wearing sandals.

“If I don’t defend the staff here, then they may be worried when carrying out their duties in future,” he said.

Asked why no police report was lodged or action taken by the Immigration Department, he said the staff did not want to create a scene.

“I urge all VIPs and top leaders to respect the rule of law. This is the new Malaysia, not the old Malaysia.

“The old government might not take action but that is in the past,” he said, adding that a report on the case would be forwarded to the Prime Minister’s Department to decide if Vigneswaran should be stripped of the privilege.

Denying that he had breached security protocols that day, Vigneswaran said he was wearing sandals while sending off his daughter at the airport because he had a small wound on his leg.

“This is cheap publicity by Loke. I tried contacting him. Why didn’t he respond to my calls?

“This is the first time my daughter is travelling to Britain. If I have committed a crime, why wasn’t I stopped or arrested?” he said.

He said he did not use any of the VIP rooms and only sent off his daughter, and denied being rude to staff, adding that he only asked to be shown a circular that VIPs could not wear sandals.

“I only wanted to see the exact circular. The circular only shows appropriate clothing.

“They should have stopped me If I have committed any wrongdoing,” he said, asking Loke to stop acting as if he was still an Opposition member.