TERESA KOK'S RELEASE DECIDED ENTIRELY BY POLICE, SAYS SYED HAMID

PUTRAJAYA, Sept 20 (Bernama) -- Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar said the release of the Seputeh Member of Parliament, Teresa Kok, from
detention under the Internal Security Act (ISA) was decided entirely by the police without referring to him or requiring his approval.

He said he was in fact informed of the matter after Kok had been released,
and believed that the release was made after police investigation revealed that
the detention was no longer necessary.

"I don't ask questions (to the police) because when it comes to police
exercising their power, I let them do their work without any hassle.

"And if they feel there is no need to make any recommendations (to detain
further) and they are satisfied, they will release in accordance with the powers
that they have," he told reporters after presenting contributions to the
ministry's staff, here Friday.

Kok, who is also a Selangor State Executive Councillor, was released at
1.30pm after being detained for eight days under Section 73(1) of the ISA 1960
as she was alleged to have raised racial and religious sentiments.

Deputy Inspector-General of Police Ismail Omar said in a statement
that police were satisfied with the cooperation rendered by Kok during the
investigation and there was no longer any reason to continue her
detention.

Commenting further, Syed Hamid said that under Section 73, an individual
could be detained for up to 60 days for investigation if the police suspected
that he or she was a threat to national security.

He said that his role as the minister was only needed to approve detention
that exceeded the 60-day period, where police felt that the extended detention
was a necessity.

On the statement by the United States (US) which claimed that the use of
the ISA was an infringment of 'democratic rise and value', Syed Hamid said every
nation should be given the right to administer the country according to the laws
determined by it.

"Malaysia should be responsible to Malaysia. We have the greatest respect
for the US and we've got good bilateral relations, but it doesn't mean that
wherever we are going we have to ask them 'can we go?'. If we want to go into a
room also we ask them 'would you allow us to go into the room?'

"Each country has got its own peculiar position or circumstances and I
think we should be happy with what we are doing with our law, in order to
protect our citizens," he added.

-- BERNAMA