Death threats rile Bersih 2.0 chairman
THE STAR
PETALING JAYA: Bersih 2.0 chairman Maria Chin Abdullah has called on the authorities to act against those who made death threats against her and several others, including her three sons.
Speaking during a press conference at the Petaling Jaya police headquarters after lodging a report on the matter yesterday, Maria said that the threat – made through WhatsApp messages by someone claiming to represent the “Islamic State Malaysia” – was particularly vile as images of her three sons were also included.
Others included in the threatening messages were Bersih 2.0 steering committee member Mandeep Karpali and Hakam president Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan, Maria said.
“Singling out my children is despicable and shows the desperation of the perpetrator.
“It hides behind the facade of Islam and distorts it to defame, threaten and scare me, Ambiga, Mandeep and my three sons,” she added.
Maria said that in the threatening messages, she received photos of her sons, aged 19, 22 and 23.
The threatening WhatsApp messages show digitally edited images of Maria, Ambiga, Mandeep and Maria’s three sons kneeling before a masked man as he holds a knife to their throats.
Maria added that she was unsure how the person who made the threats obtained photos of her sons.
“When I identified the photos, it looked as if they were taken from my sons’ identity cards.
“I would like to know how this person managed to get such photos,” she said.
Ambiga denounced the threats as a terrorist act.
“This is a terrorist act and I hope the Inspector-General of Police will take firm and swift action.
“They threatened Maria’s children and that’s where they really crossed the line,” said Ambiga.
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