MP was with teen in car for a chat, say police

GEORGE TOWN: Police today revealed the scenario behind a teenage girl’s allegation that an MP had touched her inappropriately, which led her to lodge a police report in Kangar, Perlis, about two weeks ago.

Perlis police chief Noor Mushar Mohd said the 15-year-old girl was a singer who was part of a busking group. She was training with her schoolmates on the grounds of a stadium.

He said about 11.30pm on Oct 20, the MP had asked the teen to meet him in his Toyota Harrier parked near the place where the practice was being held to “have a chat”.

A teacher of the teen conducting the practice took her to the car, and the MP’s aide guided her to enter the car where the MP was seated.

The MP had sponsored the school’s busking team for “quite some time”, Mushar said.

He said the MP and the teen were alone in the car.

According to the teen’s report to police, Mushar said, the MP had suddenly touched her hand and shoulders, which she swiftly brushed away.

“She immediately left the vehicle. As soon as she got out, she cried, as witnessed by the teacher who brought her to this MP. The teen has met this MP before,” he said at a press conference in Kangar, Perlis, today.

Mushar said the teen lodged a report at 2.50am that night (Oct 21) accompanied by her parents.

He said the teen was a “girl from a good family” with parents who were professionals. He said the teen was a talented singer and had been singing since primary school.

“Later in the day at 10.30am (Oct 21), the teen lodged another report to withdraw the claims made about the MP earlier, without any coercion from anyone. She did it willingly,” he said.

Mushar said ever since the first report was lodged, police have recorded 10 statements to date, including one from the MP. The MP gave his statement to officers from Bukit Aman today, he said.

He said it was very upsetting to hear claims by third parties that police had stopped investigating the case after the retraction of the report by the teen.

Mushar told R Sri Sanjeevan, an activist who first tweeted about the issue, not to be a “busybody” and a “cheapskate” (sic) and to leave the case to the police.

“Don’t use hearsay evidence to make your claims. Please tell Sanjeevan this…the Perlis police force is investigating all, including suspects who are VVIP,” he said.

Mushar also said if the teen had been bribed, intimidated, or forced to withdraw her report, she had to come forward to make a report so police could investigate.

He said for the time being, the case had been referred to the federal police prosecution division before being sent to the attorney-general to decide whether the case could be taken up for prosecution.

The case is being investigated under Section 14 (a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017. Section 14 of the act states that any person who touches any part of a child’s body for sexual purposes commits an offence punishable by a maximum 10-year jail term or RM20,000 fine.