Perak state executive councillor Paul Yong speaks to reporters at the Sessions Court in Ipoh August 23, 2019. — Pictures by Farhan Najib

IPOH, Aug 23 — Perak state executive councillor Paul Yong who was charged with raping an Indonesian woman today has insisted he does not need to take leave from his official duties despite the mentri besar advising him to do so.

The DAP lawmaker said there is no reason for him to go on leave as he has not been found guilty.

“Of course I will,” he told reporters at the courthouse here after he was charged this morning when asked if he would continue working even though Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu had last night urged him to apply for garden leave.

“I didn’t do anything wrong. Why I need to take leave?

“All this while I have been saying that I’m not a criminal. No matter whoever they are, before being sentenced to judgment by the court, they are not criminals,” Yong said.

“I’m still the exco and the assemblyman. I represent the people. I’m not sentenced to any punishment. I will continue my job and provide my service for the people as they gave me the mandate,” he added

Last night, Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu told Yong to take a break from all his official duties, including not participating in any meeting which requires a decision-making process until the trial is complete.

Ahmad Faizal also guaranteed that the legal process on Yong will not affect the administration of the state government.

“So far there has been no need for any drastic reshuffle and all existing exco lineups are able to take on the responsibility of running the administration together,” he said.

Earlier today, Yong, 49, was charged at the Sessions Court with raping an Indonesian woman formerly in his employ.

Earlier today, Yong, 49, was charged at the Sessions Court with raping an Indonesian woman formerly in his employ.

The Tronoh assemblyman pled not guilty to the charge under Section 376 (1) of the Penal Code for rape, punishable with a maximum jail term of 20 years and whipping on those found guilty.

Yong, who is the exco in charge of Perak housing, local government, public transport, non-Islamic affairs and new villages, was accused of committing the rape in an upper room at a house numbered 52 at Desa Meru 2, Meru Desa Park, Meru Raya here on July 7, between 8.15pm to 9.15pm.

Yong, who seems disgruntled with the rape charge, accuses police of not conducting the investigation professionally.

“I have given full cooperation to the police in this case and have trusted their professionalism. When they told me not to comment on the case, I did not comment until I was being charged.

“But I’m not happy with the policemen who are involved in the investigation. They didn’t carry out their duty professionally,” he said.

Yong also said that his lawyer Ramkarpal Singh has mentioned in the court that a new evidence was forwarded to the police by Perak State Assembly Speaker Datuk Ngeh Koo Ham.

“Ngeh reported that he has an information of the person who took the Indonesian maid to make a police report that she had been raped was believed to have received RM100,000 and was threatened with a pistol to not expose the secret.

“It is very clear that the case has a conspiracy behind. There is a political agenda behind it. I know the person who is responsible for this, but I just don’t have sufficient evidence to expose it,” he said.

“However, this was not included in the police investigation. Three times the investigation paper was rejected by the Attorney General and the police didn’t call me to take statements. This is a big mistake.

“The police did not complete the investigation and only focus on hearing from one side and made assumptions that I’m a criminal and the Indonesian maid is a victim. This is not fair. If the police have conducted the investigation professionally, I wouldn’t have been charged today,” he added.