After the press conference on the Tong Ket Ming case yesterday, I sent a text message to Federal CID director Datuk Christopher Wan Soo Kee’s mobile phone and requested for an appointment. He replied me last night at about 9.30pm and asked me to meet him this morning in his office. I then quickly informed Tong’s brother-in-law and the media about the meeting this morning.
Datuk and I met at about 9.10am in his office at Bukit Aman. I showed him Tong’s news and photos in Chinese papers. He asked us what had happened and we told him our version of the story. He did not appear to be very happy with us going to the media on this matter.
He said it will be complicated for the police in carrying out an investigation if Tong’s statement to the police is different from what is reported in the press. He told us that he will carry out an investigation on this matter, and he has to listen to the police’s version too.
It was a short meeting with him, but he promised an inquiry into the case and he said he will keep the victim’s lawyer informed about the matter.
I can see that he is pretty unhappy and uneasy to see this case being highlighted by the media. He was probably annoyed by the brutality and violence carried out by his police officers too.
On my way out I met a police officer who had assisted the Parliament Select Committee that reviewed the Penal and Criminal Procedure codes. This guy told me IPK Kuala Lumpur has taken over the investigation of this case from Sentul police station. I am quite please to hear that as we can have more independent officers will be in charge.
I then brought the victim to see our lawyer Sankara Nair who promised to help in his hearing that has been fixed for May next year. He advised the victim to do another medical check-up today and try to get the report out soon, so that he can do the necessary action to assist him.
Let’s see the outcome of the internal investigation of this matter.
I was quite disappointed no English and Malay language papers, except for Malay Mail and Malaysiakini, sent reporters to my press conference yesterday.
However, only Malaysiakini printed the report. Not a word mentioned in Malay Mail today. Is this another cover-up of police brutality as elections are approaching?
The police has been critical of chinese press for highlighting crimes and affecting their efforts while the Malay and English language papers tend to underplay or ignore such news items. This would tell us which news papers are more value for money and informative.
Even some Malays and Indian friends of mine do ask me about what is being reported in the Chinese language papers, apart from the 4 digit results.
This episode may suggest the real culprits are still at large while an innocent victim has been traumatised, ignored, denied an avenue for redress.