SACKED Pujut assemblyman Dr Ting Tiong Choon has accused Wong Soon Koh of calling him a bankrupt, and wants the police to investigate the UPP chief for criminal defamation. 

Ting lodged a police report against Wong today.

“What Wong has said openly was defamatory with the intention to tarnish my reputation and standing as a politician and a qualified medical practitioner,” Ting said in the police report. 

Wong had told reporters in the media room of the Sarawak assembly on May 15 that Ting was bankrupt twice in 2012 and was still bankrupt as of July last year. 

Wong had referred to online searches he made on the Bankruptcy Register Search of the Australian Financial Security Authority. 

Wong’s comments were widely published and echoed similar allegations he made in the chamber on May 12. 

Privileged immunity is only granted for comments made inside the house.

Ting denied ever having been bankrupt. 

“I think he has deliberately and maliciously tried to damage my reputation and the reputation of the DAP purely for political gain,” Ting told reporters after lodging the report.

“I would describe this as political hooliganism. He has used all sorts of bullying tactics, baseless accusations and personal attacks against me,” he said.

The investigating officer is Insp Mohamad Fitri Kukung. 

The police are expected to make a recommendation and refer the investigation paper to the Attorney-General’s Chambers within weeks, said Ting’s lawyer Alan Ling.

“I expect investigation officers to question Wong next week,” said Ling, who is DAP’s former assemblyman for Piasau. 

Ling said the DAP “welcomes” any retaliatory police reports, referring to a comment made by Wong published in See Hua Daily yesterday.

Wong had said he would lodge a police report of his own against Ting for making a false declaration regarding the latter’s citizenship status.

“I just want to remind him, we welcome him to lodge a report, even now. Because last year, the BN’s direct candidate (for Pujut) Hii King Chiong had lodged a similar report, which resulted in Bukit Aman sending their police officers to search three premises at the same time. 

“His clinic, his office and his home (were raided), but until today there has been no prosecution by the authorities.

“I hope (Wong) doesn’t humiliate himself one more time and (he should) stop issuing such threatening statements again. We have given him enough time to apologise but he seems not interested in doing so,” Ling said. 

TMI could not reach Wong for comments. 

Sarawak DAP also has a separate suit pending against the Sarawak assembly.

On May 12, the first day of the recent assembly sitting, Ting was disqualified as an assemblyman after a motion was tabled by Wong on the grounds that Ting had acquired Australian citizenship before renouncing it just before the state elections in May last year.

Wong said Ting had violated the state constitution, which forbids a state assemblyman from holding dual citizenship.

The motion was carried through after 70 BN assemblymen voted in favour of it.

Sarawak DAP leader Chong Chieng Jen has said the opposition component will sue state speaker Mohamad Asfia Awang Nassar and all “necessary parties”, saying Ting’s dismissal was a matter for the Federal Court alone to decide.

The Election Commission has called for a by-election for the Pujut seat on July 4. – June 3, 2017.