Akmal quizzed but still defiant
Published on: Saturday, April 06, 2024
By: Nora Ahmad
Akmal (right) leaving IPD Kota Kinabalu after being quizzed.
Kota Kinabalu: Umno Youth chief Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh was questioned for four hours at the Kota Kinabalu police headquarters soon as he landed at Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA), at 10.15am Friday.
He said he was supposed to give his statement at Dang Wangi (in KL) today (Saturday) and was in Sabah to attend a Ramadan programme with Sabah Umno Youth in Beaufort.
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“But when I arrived in Kota Kinabalu I received a call informing me that my statement needs to be taken today.”
It was over a report made against him under the Sedition Act regarding a video of his speech in Kelantan.
“I am ready to fight in court as I am never afraid because I believe that I speak the truth and have not done anything wrong,” he said, adding he would cooperate with police.
“The report was in Kuala Lumpur, so why was there a need to hurry. What is really important? It is not that I am not coming back.
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“There is no report from Sabah, absolutely no statement from Sabah, everything happened in the peninsula,” he said, and that the scheduled event in Beaufort would continue.
Akmal said in a FB post the police took two hours to record his statement and he was allowed to leave the police station at 12.40pm.
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“However, after I spoke to the media, I was asked to provide another statement, which also took two hours,” he said.
Sabah police chief Jauteh Dikun did not rule out summoning Akmal for questioning again.
The two reports were lodged against him over comments linked to the sale of socks bearing the word “Allah”.
Inspector-General of Police Razarudin Husain later confirmed that Akmal was being investigated for sedition and misuse of network facilities.
The recording of Akmal’s statement amid his push for a boycott of convenience store chain KK Mart, which was embroiled in a controversy following the sale of the socks at its Bandar Sunway outlet.
Akmal has continued to spearhead the movement against the chain, despite its immediate apology, the legal action taken against its founder Chai Kee Kan and director Loh Siew Mui, and a call from the King not to prolong the controversy.
Since the boycott started, three KK Mart outlets – at Bidor, Perak; Kuantan, Pahang; and Kuching, Sarawak – have been attacked with petrol bombs.
Akmal said he was unfazed by his detention, saying it would not break him.
“If this is the price I have to pay to defend race and religion, I am willing to do so,” he said.
“No fear, no surrender. Continue the boycott,” said Akmal.
More recently, Akmal drew criticism for remarks related to a decree by the Agong, Sultan Ibrahim on the socks issue.
His Majesty had urged all parties to cease exploiting the issue and inciting anger, emphasising that action had already been taken by the authorities.
However, according to a Malaysiakini report, Akmal questioned if the King prohibited the boycott in his decree.
“Did the King ask to stop the boycott?”, he was quoted as saying when asked if he would comply with His Majesty’s decree.
Earlier, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim issued a stern warning against challenging the royalty, especially on matters relating to race, religion, and the royal institution (3R).
“I don’t care who you are, what your position is, or which party you are from.
“Don’t threaten us if action is taken (against you), more so on matters related to the 3R,” he said in Penang when asked about Akmal’s detention.
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