KUALA LUMPUR – No criminal elements were detected in the report lodged against a Prime Minister’s Office photographer by an aide to Tanah Merah MP Datuk Seri Ikmal Hisham Abdul Aziz over allegations of the Perikatan Nasional lawmaker vaping in the Dewan Rakyat.
Kuala Lumpur police chief Datuk Allaudeen Abdul Majid said that no investigation has been opened into the report against Sadiq Asyraf, who had posted on Twitter a photo of Ikmal supposedly vaping in Parliament.
“From our classification, we have decided there is no investigation because there are no criminal elements involved,” Allaudeen told a press conference at the Sentul police headquarters yesterday, as quoted by The Star.
On September 22, Ikmal’s officer lodged the report at the Dang Wang police headquarters, claiming that the sharing of the image with the caption was slanderous and an attempt to tarnish the Bersatu MP’s image, credibility and reputation.
The photo, which was posted by Sadiq on September 19, was uploaded with the caption: “Betul-betul koyak, terus tarik vape sambil keluar dewan (Truly triggered, immediately took a hit from his vape while coming out of the Dewan Rakyat).”
Ikmal was captured in a shot depicting the opposition’s walkout from the Dewan Rakyat after Putrajaya MP Datuk Radzi Jidin was booted out of the lower House for causing a ruckus over a statement made by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
In the photo, Ikmal was seen holding an object to his mouth as Anwar, who is also Tambun MP, stood at his spot to deliver his winding-up speech on the mid-term review of the 12th Malaysia Plan in Parliament, which is a non-smoking area.
In response to the post, netizens had condemned the lawmaker for his apparent “unparliamentary behaviour,” with Bangi MP Syahredzan Johan calling on the MP to respect the Dewan Rakyat.
Subsequently, Ikmal had denied being a smoker, clarifying instead that he was holding a pen to his mouth.
Besides urging for a review of CCTV footage at the area, he also said that he would explain the matter to Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul if a letter is issued on his supposed misconduct. – September 24, 2023