IPOH, March 31 — The woman who worked as a domestic helper for Tronoh assemblyman Paul Yong and accused him of rape had told her uncle of her wish to go home to Indonesia after encountering a “bad person” here, the High Court heard today.

Muhammad Rusdi, 51, who was called to the witness stand, related that his niece had said she had a secret that she wanted to reveal to him and her mother Tina when they met at the Indonesian Embassy in Kuala Lumpur on September 19, 2019. Muhammad Rusdi is an Indonesian who lives there. He is currently in Malaysia to attend the court case. 

“When we met her at the Indonesian Embassy, she cried and hugged her mother Tina. She said she wanted to go back to Indonesia as there is an orang jahat here.

“However, I don’t know what is the secret as she did not reveal it to me,” said Muhammad Rusdi, who testified before Judge Datuk Abdul Wahab Mohamed.

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Muhammad Rusdi also told the court that he had no knowledge if his niece ever disclosed the identity of the “bad person” or any other secret she had to her mother when they met in the Indonesia Embassy, when cross examined by Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Mohd Fitri Sadarudin.

Muhammad Rusdi is the third and last witness called to testify for the defence in Yong’s rape trial. His niece’s name is withheld to protect her privacy.

The DPP then put it to Muhammad Rusdi that the “bad man” his niece referred to was the rapist, in other words her then employer Yong.

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But Muhammad Rusdi said he didn’t know as he was not there when the alleged rape happened, nor did his niece share the identity of the “bad man”.

The DPP then suggested to Muhammad Rusdi that that the Indonesian Embassy did not detained his niece but was merely providing her with accommodation until the court case is over, but the defence witness disagreed.

Muhammad Rusdi said his niece wanted to return to Indonesia, but was not able to do so.

The DPP then said the right person to testify would be the accuser’s mother and not Muhammad Rusdi. The latter agreed but told the court that his sister-in-law could not take the stand as she is sick.

The defence previously called on Yong and his wife Too Choon Looi, 46, to testify on March 16.

The defence rests its case today.

Abdul Wahab has set submissions for May 17.

Yong was ordered to enter his defence last December 7. He is accused of raping his former Indonesian domestic helper two years ago.

Yong was first charged in the Sessions Court here on August 23, 2019, when he was the state Housing, Local Government, Public Transport, Non-Islamic Affairs and New Villages Committee chairman.

He was charged under Section 376 (1) of the Penal Code, which carries a term of imprisonment of up to 20 years and is liable to whipping, if found guilty.

He pled not guilty to raping his Indonesian domestic helper at his house in Meru Desa Park on July 7, 2019 between 8.15pm and 9.15pm.

The case was mentioned in the Sessions Court but, on December 15 last year, the Federal Court allowed an application by the defence to transfer the case to the High Court.