Apologise for assault claim, Pakatan tells MCA’s Wee

Apologise for assault claim, Pakatan tells MCA’s Wee

By Clara Chooi

March 27, 2012
Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, March 27 — Pakatan Rakyat (PR) leaders demanded today Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong apologise for trying to divert attention from Sunday’s rally on the shortage of Chinese school teachers to an alleged assault on him which the police said did not happen.

Speaking at a press conference in Parliament today, Cheras MP Tan Kok Wai cited a news report quoting Selangor police chief Tun Hisan Tun Hamzah as saying that his men could not confirm the assault on Wee.

File photo of Wee (white shirt) being escorted out from the rally on March 25, 2012. — Picture by Choo Choy May

“The statement by the CPO is simple. No attempted assault, nothing happened.

“Nobody suspected by anyone had hit or punched Wee.

“But as you are fully aware, Wee made the allegation twice — that the assailant tried to punch his left cheek,” he said.

Tan said Wee, according to various media reports on the Sunday incident, had also alleged that his assailant was a PR supporter or member.

Despite this, the DAP leader said Wee had refused yesterday to lodge a report into the incident, saying he had forgiven his alleged attacker.

“I think Wee needs to do something to clarify his innocence and conscience by making an allegation that he was almost assaulted.

“He must apologise to five parties — Malaysians because he misled them into believing he was almost assaulted; the Chinese community because they are furious the main issue of the rally had been deviated; to the 10,000-strong crowd at the rally; to the United Chinese School Committees Association (Dong Zong); and to PR, because he has never stopped indicating that his assailant was a PR member or supporter,” he said.

Wee was chased out of the rally organised by Dong Zong on Sunday to protest a lack of Chinese school teachers.

After the rally ended, an angry swarm of people chanted for him to resign and it was alleged someone attempted to land a punch on him but it was prevented by a large security detail.

“I can’t say I felt threatened but it was a rude shock to me,” Wee told a press at a nearby hotel later.

“Suddenly people come and point at you and want to punch you. I am saddened. We are not hooligans. We are a civilised society.”

The deputy minister from the MCA later also suggested that the crowd was instigated by unidentified parties.