Dr Ting (right) shakes hand with an unidentified police officer before having his statement recorded. Ling is on the left.
MIRI: Pujut assemblyman Dr Ting Tiong Choon gave a recorded statement to the police yesterday in relation to an election petition filed against him at the Miri High Court on Thursday.
Lawyer Alan Ling Sie Kiong, representing Dr Ting, said the statement was given at the Miri Police Headquarters to facilitate an investigation under Section 199 of the Penal Code.
The statement, he added, was given to commercial crime officer ASP Sim Hock Chai.
Datuk Hii King Chiong, the direct BN candidate for Pujut in the May 7 state election, filed the petition to declare the election of Dr Ting of the DAP null and void on grounds that he is an Australian citizen at the time of the polls.
The petition also sought to declare the petitioner the legitimate elected representative by virtue of securing the second highest votes in the polls for the seat.
There was a four-cornered fight in Pujut, with Dr Ting garnering 8,899 votes, Hii (7,140 votes), PAS’ Jofri Jaraiee (413 votes) and Independent Fong Pau Teck (375 votes).
Ling, who is also state DAP secretary, told reporters that they had arranged for Dr Ting to give his statement today because he (Dr Ting) was not in Miri (yesterday).
“(In the end) we have to cancel Dr Ting’s (prior) appointment as the police want to take his statement today (Sunday) following a directive from Bukit Aman,” Ling said.
“My question is why it must be done on Sunday. Can’t it wait till Monday (today)?”
Ling reiterated that DAP Sarawak would be totally behind Dr Ting to deal with this case as he (Dr Ting) was elected by the people of Pujut.