TWO-WEEK ULTIMATUM FOR COPS TO PROBE RAIS

By: JEFFRY DAHLAN (FMT)

SEREMBAN: The police have been given a two-week ultimatum to start a probe on Information, Communication and Culture Minister Rais Yatim who was implicated in an alleged rape case.

Failing which, NGO Solidariti Anak Muda Malaysia (SAMM) hinted that it might consider organising a mass protest.

This morning, SAMM, led by PKR’s Badrul Hisham Shaharin, filed a police report with the district police headquarters here on the allegation that the minister had raped his Indonesian maid three years ago.

Speaking to reporters later, Badrul said: “If the police do not act within 14 days, then we’ll move into phase two of our action. The police must clear Rais’ name or punish him.”

Badrul said that while everyone was innocent until proven otherwise, Rais’ offence, however, was to remain silent on the matter.

“As the culture minister, he must understand that in the Malaysian culture, silence is an admission of guilt,” he added.

Badrul also urged the police to act swiftly as this case could jeopardise the relationship between Malaysia and Indonesia.

“We don’t want any conflict with Indonesia. If the police keep silent on this allegation, then it will send a wrong message to the public and foreign countries that the police are protecting the minister.

“The police must conduct a thorough investigation and question the related parties, including the minister, and must make public the outcome of the investigation to clear the air,” he said.

Badrul also said that he sent a letter to Migrant Care, a Jakarta-based NGO which looked after the welfare of Indonesian workers, offering SAMM’s assistance in this issue.

Yesterday, PAS had also filed a police report on the matter and challenged the 69-year-old Umno minister to refute the charge.

The report was based on a purported disclosure by WikiLeaks that former premier Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had allegedly covered up the matter.

Following this, Federal CID director Mohd Bakri Zinin told FMT that an investigation would be launched.

‘Victim was threatened’

Meanwhile, PKR Youth chief Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin said that he would follow up on a report by Migrant Care regarding the alleged rape.

He claimed that although the alleged incident happened on Feb 19, 2007, the victim was “forced to keep silent because of threats made against her.”

Shamsul called on the minister to clear his name, and warned Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak of the repercussions if the allegation was proven true.

“Najib still retains this person in the Cabinet although he is an alleged sexual criminal. This will (erode) ties between Malaysia and Indonesia if the govenrment keeps silent,” he said.

In view of this, Shamsul said the prime minister should kickstart an in-depth investigation.