Lawyer and activist Siti Kasim said she will take legal action against the police for raiding her house last year on suspicion that she had abducted a client.
“My client, Anis Izzaty Ruslan, whom police accused me of kidnapping, and I will sue them for the midnight raid,” she was quoted as saying by The Malaysian Insight.
This follows a Facebook post by Siti, who said she was informed by police that she will be charged under Section 509 of the Penal Code, for insulting the modesty of a person, on Tuesday.
The charge is over her “randomly” showing her middle finger to those who were heckling and shouting at her the ‘Pindaan Akta 355: Antara Realiti dan Persepsi’ forum in 2016.
The forum was about PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang’s private member’s Bill that seeks to amend the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965 (Act 355) in order to expand the powers of the Shariah courts.
Siti has criticised the proposed legislation, saying that although proponents from PAS and Umno claim that it is not a hudud Bill, the suggested amendment will allow for punishments prescribed by the strict Islamic penal code.
Siti has questioned why there are moves to charge her under Section 509 of the Penal Code, when others have been “let off” for similar offences.
According to Siti, an inspector called her about purported instructions to immediately charge her under the law pertaining to a word or gesture intended to insult the modesty of a person.
She claimed that she “knows the officer in charge of criminal investigations (OCCI) Selangor” has been trying to put her behind bars.
She voiced her belief that said person orchestrated the raid on her house with the “ridiculous mind-blowing kidnapping charge”.
“If not because of the unplanned video that went viral, I would be facing a charge for a capital offence. Kidnapping carries the death penalty!” she said in a press statement on Thursday (Feb 7).
Siti said she would ensure that anyone who is abusing their powers will get their just punishment.
“I have many people who have told me how this man has made their life miserable. IGP (the Inspector-General of Police) should be looking at this man closely,” she added.
In a statement posted on her Facebook, Siti identified the officer as a purported “Selangor OCCI”, only by the name Fadzil.
Siti was referring to Selangor CID chief Fadzil Ahmat who she alleged wanted to get at her.
“How I know this, you may ask…I have evidence of it, of course. Why does he want to get me, you may ask again…well…I was told he is an Islamist who hates my guts.
“And the Islamists are out to get me by hook or crook. I am keeping quiet no more and I will fight this and I will make sure anyone who is abusing their powers will get their just punishment,” she said.
“How (do) I know this, you may ask…I have evidence of it, of course.”
Siti said the Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission (EAIC) investigated what happened to her and Anis Nur Izzaty Ruzlan, and she asked what had resulted from the probe.
Anis Nur was Siti’s client, who sought refuge at the lawyer’s home from an allegedly abuse mother last June.
“Anis has told me that she is still been (sic) harassed by the religious authority,” Siti said.
She also took the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) to task, asking how such a “frivolous” charge was allowed to proceed against her, owing to the middle-finger incident.
“What the hell is going on? Why the AG Chambers allowed this frivolous charge to go on?
“What is next? Am I going to disappear like Pastor Koh or Amri Che Mat?
“This country cannot be allowed to be run by people like Skuad Badar or Islamist Gestapo in uniforms, hiding behind draconian laws that need to be abolished. The persecution of citizens who fight for a just and fair Malaysia for All Malaysians must end now.
“Believe me, I will fight this to the very end. Islamofascists are not going to shake me. You are making me stronger,” Siti wrote.
Meanwhile, Fadzil said police have received the order from the AGC to press charge against the lawyer since April last year, Malaysiakini reported.
He said police, however, had put the matter on hold, as they were occupied with preparations for the 14th general election.
Fadzil said the case was further put on hold as police received another case involving Siti over the Kajang incident.
“There are three investigation papers opened in the Kajang case. And we planned to press all the charges together; (we are) waiting for further instructions from (AGC office) in Putrajaya.
“But since there was yet to be a decision on the Kajang case from the AGC, I decided to continue with the (middle finger) incident first as the order from AGC still stands,” he was quoted as saying.
On Siti’s allegation that he was trying to put her behind bars, Fadzil said Siti as a legal practitioner should know better about the judicial process.
“She is a lawyer and should know the process of the law. So, (she should) seek for a fair trial.
“She can prove (in court) if she is not guilty,” Fadzil was quoted as saying.
It was reported that on Tuesday, Siti will be represented by lawyers Suzana Norlihan Alias and New Sin Yew.