KUALA LUMPUR, April 2 — Jaringan Melayu Malaysia (JMM) today demanded a sedition probe against The Edge Media Group owner Datuk Tong Kooi Ong over a report by news portal The Malaysian Insider (TMI) linking the hudud controversy to the Conference of Rulers.
In a protest outside The Edge’s office here, JMM’s secretary-general Hamdan Mohd Salleh accused Tong and TMI of “insulting” the Malay rulers by dragging them into politics.
“Do not play-play with the rulers. Do not insult them. We want Tong Kooi Ong to be arrested under Sedition Act (1948),” Hamdan said, adding that Tong has seven days to surrender himself to the police.
“Failing to do so, we will stage a second round of demonstration.”
Hamdan further said that JMM will also lodge a police report tomorrow afternoon at Dang Wangi police station against Tong.
Around twenty JMM members attended this afternoon’s protest at The Edge, with many holding placards saying: “Tangkap Tong Kooi Ong” (Arrest Tong Kooi Ong) and “Malaysian Insider hina Raja2 Melayu” (Malaysian Insider insulted Malay rulers).
President of another Malay group, Eratkan Perhubungan Antara Negeri Cetuskan Organisasi (Epanco), Ariffin Abu Bakar was also present during the protest.
Last week, TMI ran a report citing an unnamed source as claiming that the Conference of Rulers had rejected proposed legal amendments that would allow hudud to be enforced.
This was later denied by the Keeper of the Rulers’ Seal, who also lodged a police report over the article.
The police subsequently detained four TMI staff, including its chief executive Jahabar Sadiq, and The Edge publisher Ho Kay Tat overnight to assist in investigations into the report.
All five have since been released.
