PUTRAJAYA : The government lodged a police report today against Ampang PKR MP Zuraida Kamaruddin for making “baseless and slanderous allegations” over its 6P Programme.
Deputy Home Minister Datuk Lee Chee Leong said it was the first step before taking legal action against her for defamation.
"This is proof that the government is transparent and does not compromise when it comes to defending the country’s sovereignty," he said, denying the accusations.
Lee was speaking at a press conference at the ministry today.
He said the report was made by the Selangor Immigration Department this morning at the Section 11 Shah Alam police station and the legal suit would be filed “very soon”.
Last week, Zuraida was reported saying the illegals who register with the biometric system under the programme are allegedly being forced to read off a “script” which swore their total loyalty to the ruling coalition.
She had claimed the script read, among others, “Me/husband/wife/child, will unequivocally support and vote for Umno/BN,” and that PKR had received proof by infiltrating certain registration locations in Sepang, Hulu Selangor and Shah Alam.
Lee said the ministry has repeatedly asked Zuraida to come up with evidence to support her claim so that they could investigate the matter but she has failed to do so.
“We waited for some time, but she never come forward. So, we have got to take up our own initiative,” he said.
Asked whether the ministry has taken the initiative to investigate the appointed management companies or agents or concerned, as Zuraida said she found the proof from the agents, Lee said:
Asked whether the ministry has taken the initiative to investigate the appointed management companies or agents or concerned, as Zuraida said she found the proof from the agents, Lee said:
“How do we investigate without any evidence? As far as we know, there is no such thing. We never have that kind of situation.”
On Zuraida’s claim that the money raised from the programme was being channeled to Barisan Nasional as a fund for the election, he said: “It is a false accusation. This is slander.”
He said foreign workers do not have to pay anything if they register with the immigration offices and only have to pay RM35 per person, for the service charge, if they register with the agents.
Meanwhile, Zuraida when contacted said instead of filing legal action against her, the government should have investigated her claims.
“I don’t understand why the government and the Immigration are so defensive I am saying that this issue is going on and instead of investigating the claims, they are suing me," she said
“I think they took the wrong stand on this.”
She said PKR is prepared to face the suit and they will provide more evidence on the matter soon.
