Ex-minister had no intention of outraging my modesty, says lounge promoter

Ex-minister had no intention of outraging my modesty, says lounge promoter
By LOURDES CHARLES

KUALA LUMPUR: The woman who alleged that a former Cabinet minister had outraged her modesty now wants to withdraw her report, claiming she “misunderstood” the incident.

The 30-year-old promoter at a lounge in a five-star hotel here, in a statutory declaration sent to Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail through her lawyer Datuk Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, said she was “sensitive and moody” at the time of the incident last Thursday.

She said she had known the former minister over the past five years, and that he had acted in jest without any bad intention. However, she said she felt offended at that time due to her “complicated mood which led to her lodging a police report the next day.

“I realise now that I may have misunderstood the entire episode that took place last Thursday.

“When he jokes, he sometimes likes to touch my shoulder or arms but it is something that I accepted as normal among friends especially those we have known for a long time,” she said in her statement.
The woman also said she regretted lodging the police report, as there was no intention on the part of the former minister, who is still an MP, to outrage her modesty or act inappropriately.

She said she was used to the VIP’s jokes and “rough ways” and had never objected to his actions nor felt offended by it previously.

“I cannot remember exactly the conversation between me and the VIP although in my statement to the police I may have said something else.

“I am afraid I may have misinterpreted or misheard (him). The VIP concerned is known to always joke like that and it is normal for him to be like that,” she said, and apologised for lodging the report.

Gani confirmed he had received a fax copy of the statutory declaration from Muhammad Shafee.
“I will forward this request to the police and it is up to them to investigate and get back to me,” he said.