KUALA LUMPUR: The police have recorded statements from nine individuals as they continue to investigate the improvised explosive devices (IEDs) that were found on lawyer Siti Kasim’s car. “We have called nine witnesses to provide their statements. We have also obtained CCTV footage. We are currently analyzing the CCTV footage from locations that the victim had informed us of, and investigations are still ongoing,” said city police chief Comm Datuk Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain in a text message to the media. Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain stated that the incident is suspected to be an attempted murder, and the police are currently trying to track down the suspect using fingerprints and other evidence. “The discovery of the bomb demonstrates that this is a serious crime, and the threat is tantamount to an attempted murder,” he said in an interview with a Malay daily.
When contacted, Siti Kasim described the recent attempt on her life as an act of terrorism aimed at suppressing her right to free speech. She believes that the IEDs were planted on her car in an effort to silence her outspoken views against the utilization of religion in politics. “I do not have any known enemies, nor can I think of any reason for someone to target a lawyer like myself directly. The only explanation I can think of is that it must be someone with extremist religious views, as I have been a vocal advocate against the misuse of religion in politics. These individuals are determined to silence me, not comprehending that I have never criticized Islam, but only the inappropriate utilization of it in politics,” she stated. Siti Kasim expressed disappointment with the lack of condemnation from political leaders regarding this life-threatening act. “Placing a bomb in my car, which not only endangers my life but also the lives of others, should be considered an act of terrorism. I have yet to hear any public statements from political leaders condemning it,” she added.
On July 21, Siti Kasim discovered the confirmed explosives under her car while it was being serviced at a workshop in Bangsar. In the meantime, the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih) urged the government to demonstrate a zero-tolerance attitude towards what they characterized as an assassination attempt. “If this becomes a trend, it will cause as much harm as the use of race, religion, and royalty issues. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim himself must take a clear stance and put an end to this before such violence becomes ingrained in our political and societal culture,” stated the electoral watchdog’s steering committee in a statement.
Credit: The Star : News Feed
