Siti Kasim today said she had sent her car this morning to a workshop to be serviced, only to be informed that there was an object attached under her car. — Screengrab via Facebook/Siti Kasim
KUALA LUMPUR (July 21): Lawyer and activist Siti Kasim today announced on Facebook an alleged threat against her life via a suspected “bomb” like object attached under her car.
In a video streamed live on her Facebook account from around 1.05pm, Siti said she had sent her car this morning to a workshop to be serviced, only to be informed that there was an object attached under her car.
In the video, Siti said the object was obscured from sight as it was behind one of the car’s tyres, describing it as being plastic bottles with wires inside that “looks like a bomb”, adding that it was “hooked” underneath her car.
“I think this is really crazy, that this attempt on my life is really happening,” she said in the video, saying she was “insignificant”, a “nobody” and just an “activist”.
While saying she was shocked, angry and scared, Siti however said that it would not deter her from speaking up as an activist.
In the video, she said she had called the police at around 1pm to inform them of the possible bomb threat.
In another video posted at 1.41pm on Facebook, Siti provided updates where the public was asked to leave the workshop.
In a subsequent video also streamed on Facebook from 2.47pm onwards, Siti said that a bomb squad was present at the scene while her car was still inside the workshop. – Malay Mail
Meanwhile, the police today confirmed that the suspicious object in the form of two plastic bottles under activist Siti Kasim’s car is suspected to be an improvised explosive device (IED) — a term commonly used to refer to bombs.
Local daily Berita Harian said this was confirmed after a bomb squad from the police carried out tests on the object, which was found under the car when it was sent to a service centre at Jalan Maarof at Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur.
In a brief video clip posted by national news agency Bernama on Facebook, Brickfields district police chief ACP Amihizam Abdul Shukor said that the police had inspected the object placed at the brake area of a tyre at the back of the car.
“So we had sent personnel to seal this area and called the UPB (Bomb Disposal Unit) and also the Bomba. The UPB has carried out its duty using their equipment, so I wish to confirm that the two plastic bottles are suspected to be an explosive of the IED type.
“However, further investigations will be carried out by the police for verification,” he said in the video clip.
Separately, Berita Harian reported Amihizam as saying that police have yet to be able to verify if the IED was still active, and that it would be sent to experts to be analysed before a more detailed conclusion can be made.
Amihizam was reported saying that the police had yet to take further statements from Siti, and that Siti had verbally told the police that she did not receive any threats. But he added that further investigations are being carried out.
Berita Harian reported Amihizam as saying that the police received information from Siti at 12.58pm that she had sent her Toyota Celica to a service centre to be serviced, before she was informed by the mechanic that there was a bomb-like object under her car.
He also said the police will obtain information from all witnesses.
Berita Harian said the police had earlier today close off almost the entire road near the service centre in Bangsar to enable the police’s UPB or bomb squad to carry out tests to detect explosive materials with the assistance of Kuala Lumpur’s Fire and Rescue Department of Malaysia (Bomba), to avoid any untowards incidents from happening.
It said the location of the incident had also been sealed off to the public with the police’s yellow tape.
Kuala Lumpur police chief Datuk Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain was reported to have also been at the scene of the incident.
According to Berita Harian, the police had around 4.45pm reopened the road from the direction of Bangsar heading towards Bukit Bandaraya.
Siti, who is also a lawyer commonly fighting for causes such as the Orang Asli’s rights, had earlier today posted videos streamed live on Facebook to announce the discovery of the alleged attempt on her life and the suspected bomb-like objects under her car. – Malay Mail