Cops grill Tony Pua over Bumi house discounts, MB Khalid next

(Malaysiakini) - Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua spent 90 minutes at the Shah Alam police station today to answer allegations that he had questioned Malay rights at an economic forum two months ago.

He said he was also told by police that in relation to the investigation against him, they would also summon Selangor Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim to record his statement.

Speaking to the media after emerging from the station about 3.10pm, Pua said he was being investigated under the Sedition Act for suggesting that the bumiputra discount for luxury residential property be abolished.

Pua said the investigating officer also used an Utusan Malaysia report, published on July 27 under the heading Cadangan Ahli Parlimen PJ Utara kepada kerajaan Selangor - Mansuh diskaun bumiputera, as reference in investigation.

"They asked me to recap what I said, and I explained that I was referring to the discounts for luxury residential properties (for bumiputras) to be stopped and that these benefits be channelled to the poor instead," he added.

No ill intentions

Pua, who is also DAP national publicity secretary, stressed that he did not have any ill intentions when making the statement at a state-funded Budget 2011 forum nor was he questioning the rights of any parties as provided for by the constitution.

At the July forum, he said the seven percent discount for luxury properties costing RM500,000 and higher for residential units and RM2 million and above for commercial lots went against the spirit of affirmative action and had been misused as a mechanism for bumiputeras to make profit as middle-persons for non-bumiputera buyers.

A day later, Khalid defended Pua's proposal, saying it did not involve bumiputera discounts for low-cost or affordable housing within the range of RM250,000.

Pua noted that if his proposal was "seditious and wrong", then the police would have more reason to investigate Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak as it was based on his New Economic Model (NEM).

"He said the NEM will make affirmative action more market friendly and merit based, focussed on the lowest 40 percent of income earners... if what I said was wrong then the prime minister is also wrong," he said.

Pua also took a swipe at newly installed inspector-general of police Ismail Omar, accusing the top-cop of perpetuating the police's bad reputation of being a pawn of the ruling BN coalition in intimidating the opposition and public to stem dissent.

Citing the recent summons of Serdang MP Teo Nie Ching and Sri Kembangan assemblyperson Ean Yong Hian Wah, he said it is clear the police leadership are sticking to their old habits with no new direction.

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