By Andrey Dermawan
GEORGE TOWN: Bukit Bendera Umno division chief Datuk Ahmad Ismail is being investigated under the Sedition Act 1948 for allegedly remarking that "Malaysians of Chinese origin are merely squatting in this country and hence, not entitled to equality".
State deputy police chief Datuk Salleh Md Rashid said police had received five reports in connection with the statement.The reports were lodged at the Bukit Mertajam, Datuk Keramat and Jalan Patani police stations respectively, while another two were lodged in Kuala Lumpur and Petaling Jaya."
We will record Ahmad's statement soon to assist in our investigations. In fact, we were supposed to record his statement on Tuesday but there was a no-show from him. Maybe he will show up later today (yesterday).
"We will also record statements from other witnesses," he said here yesterday.
Ahmad is accused of making the statement which was widely reported in Chinese newspapers in the run-up to the just-concluded Permatang Pauh by-election.
Since then, numerous quarters, including Gerakan and DAP, had urged for action to be taken.
On Tuesday, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak apologised on Umno's behalf for the statement allegedly made by Ahmad. Najib stressed that the statement did not reflect the stand of the party.
Salleh also expressed hope for the investigations to be completed by the end of this week. He advised the people to remain patient and not to further instigate racial issues with regard to the case.
"Ahmad is still in the state since we last tracked him on Tuesday," he said, but declined to comment on whether police had visual recordings of the controversial speech.
When contacted, Ahmad refused to comment but said he would issue a statement within a day or two.
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