[Malay Mail] DAP not ignoring animal rights activists, says Serdang MP
~ REENA RAJ
KUALA LUMPUR: Serdang MP Teo Nie Ching said she was not at the DAP headquarters to receive a memorandum from about 20 animal rights activists on Saturday as she was not told about it.
The memorandum urged DAP to act against Teo and Seri Kembangan assemblyman Ean Yong Hian Wah for allegedly supporting "Serdang cat killer" Chao Xiao Wei.
However, the DAP office in Jalan Yew was closed, much to the chagrin of the group.
"I did not receive any call, SMS or email informing me they would be going to our headquarters in KL. I only found out about the gathering from media reports," said Teo, who was in Sarawak at the time.
"I contacted our office manager and he said he had not received any notice of the gathering. No one is trying to avoid anyone."
Teo said the headquarters was opened from Monday to Friday and closed during weekends.
On allegations she and Ean Yong were protecting Chao, Teo said they merely provided a platform for her to convey her apology.
"We are not siding with or protecting Chao. She told us she wanted to apologise for her behaviour, so we gave her a channel to do so.
"The animal rights activists can choose not to accept Chao's apology but that doesn't mean she does not have the right to make one."
Teo said she and Ean Yong never made any request to the authorities not to take action against Chao.
"In fact, we advised Chao to give her full cooperation to the officers of the Veterinary Services Department. We are not interfering with any process on the case, so let the authorities carry out their duties."
When contacted, Ean Yong declined to comment.
Last month, a closed-circuit television (CCTV) video of a girl beating a kitten to death, titled “Happened in Malaysia — Serdang, captured by CCTV”, was widely circulated on social networking website Facebook.
The video caused an uproar among animal lovers, with one restaurant manager, K Jeevananthan, even vowing to "get even" with the culprit.
On March 6, Chao, 21, confessed and apologised for her action at a Press conference at Ean Yong’s office.
Chao said she could not control her emotions then as she was depressed over her parents' divorce.
Source: Malay Mail
Malaysian Bar Council 
