WORRIED: See (right), accompanied by Ling, speaking to the press.
Radio Free Sarawak broadcaster Peter John disappears after following three men in their car
MIRI: Radio Free Sarawak broadcaster Peter John has not been heard of since he was whisked away by unknown men while on his way to the city centre from the airport after arriving from Kota Kinabalu yesterday morning.
Dr Michael Teo, the PKR chief here, was driving Peter to his clinic for a check-up when they were intercepted by another car with three men inside.
Peter got out and spoke to them and then followed them without telling the doctor where he was going.
This was disclosed by Batu Lintang assemblyman See Chee How who flew in from Kuching to hold a press conference on the disappearance of Peter here yesterday afternoon.
See said, “Peter spoke to them and he just left with the car. Dr Teo was quite anxious and did not know what was happening. He did not notice the car plate number as it happened quite fast.”
Later in his Facebook posting See said, “Upon his arrival, PJ (Peter John) said he feels unwell and needs medication, hence he walked with Dr Teo and went straight into Dr Teo’s car and they left.”
Along the road near Taman Pelita, a car stopped in front of Dr Teo’s car. One or three guys came out and PJ got out to talk to them. Then, PJ left with them without getting back to tell Dr Teo who they are.”
When the press asked where Dr Teo was during the press conference as he was the last person seen with Peter, Alan Ling the Piassau assemblyman who was also at the conference said, “He is in the house (resting). Dr Teo was very tired and I asked him to go back and rest.”
See said they did not want to accuse anyone and trust the police would do a professional job in solving the disappearance of the broadcaster.
“We are taking this seriously as we are worried about his whereabouts but we don’t want to make any accusation against anybody.”
See added that Peter messaged him through the phone from Kota Kinabalu International Airport before boarding a flight to Miri, “Around 9 this morning, I received a message from Peter from Kota Kinabalu saying that his documents were taken by the police at Kota Kinabalu Airport for photocopy. Police also took photos of him from every angle before letting him board the aircraft to fly to Miri.”
Peter also said that the police in Kota Kinabalu told him that they had alerted the Special Branch here to question him further and would refer his arrival here to the police headquarters in Kuching.
Soon after he received the text message, See immediately contacted Ling to meet Peter at the Miri Airport.
Ling who is a lawyer by profession then met up with police officers here and was told that there was no instruction to arrest Peter on his arrival.
“We also called up ACP Mun Kok Keong (Miri police chief) and headquarters in Kuching and were told that there was no instruction (to arrest),’ said See.
Ling promised the police that if Peter was required for investigation or questioning he would bring him to meet them.
“We trust each other and we are all professionals. I don’t accuse police of doing anything. Police in Sarawak are actually very professional and I can trust them on that,” said See.
See added that he had yet to contact Peter’s family but would do so when he got back to Kuching.
Asked whether Peter’s visit might be tied to political development in the state, See said; “He is coming back to celebrate Gawai with his family in Samarahan but he has a lot of friends here – he was probably coming here to visit his friends before going to Kuching. I didn’t ask him anything.”
At the time of his disappearance Peter was carrying just a backpack with him.
On whether there had been any report made on Peter’s disappearance See said, “No police report yet as we cannot rush into conclusion without full facts.”
When told that Malaysiakini reported that Peter was arrested by the police here, See said “I don’t read Malaysiakini,”
Meanwhile, Mun when contacted by Borneo Post confirmed that there was no instruction to arrest Peter and they did not arrest him as claimed by the news portal.
Borneo Post also contacted Immigration Department state director Robert Lian for further clarification who confirmed that the department did not send anybody to arrest and investigate Peter.