Kok's family home attacked

breaking news updated 4:20pm Two Molotov cocktails were thrown into the family home of Seputeh member of parliament Teresa Kok in Kuala Lumpur early this morning.

However, no one was hurt in the incident. Teresa's parents are living in the house at Jalan Ipoh together with her younger siblings.

The family has lodged a police report over the attack which took place at 2.55am.

At a press conference this afternoon, Teresa’s father, Kok Kim Tong narrated the incident to reporters holding a mock bottle in his hand.

Teresa’s parents and her siblings were in the house at the time.

“About 2.55am, we heard a loud ‘bang’ and my son (Sow Kuen) went to check and saw a man wearing a red t-shirt riding off on a motorcycle.

A warning letter containing threatening words and vulgarities was also attached to one of the bottles which was left outside the house.

Kim Tong, 74, said that he was woken up by his son and immediately alerted the police who arrived 20 minutes later.

“We smell kerosene from the two bottles thrown into our compound. They were similar to this one,” added Kim Tong, lifting the bottle he was holding.

Nails Inside Bottle's

He also said there were nails inside the bottle. However, the petrol bombs did not explode.

Kim Tong said he was informed by the police that had the bottles exploded, the nails would act like bullets and could be deadly. Teresa’s mother, Poon Seh Kwon, 71, was at her husband's side during the media briefing.

“I don’t think I have enemies. I am retired. If there’s any, it (would probably be) brought by Teresa, I would not know,” Kim Tong even managed in a lighter vein, drawing laughter from those present.

Teresa told reporters that her family members are very shaken and now fear for their lives.

"I view this act as most despicable and criminal designed to instill fear, anxiety in me and to prevent me from performing my duties as an elected representative.

"I also attribute this despicable act to certain media groups and blogs that have deliberately demonised and portrayed me as chauvinistic, anti-Malay and anti-Islam," she said.

Teresa, 43, said the attack could be related to her recent detention under the ISA on Sept 12 for allegedly raising Islamic issues. She was subsequently released on Sept 19.

During her detention, Teresa also lodged police reports against Umno-owned daily Utusan Malaysia, its senior editor Zaini Hassan and former Selangor menteri besar Dr Mohd Khir Toyo for accusing her of involvement in the issues.

Also present at the Kok family home to show support this afternoon were Teresa's fellow parliamentarians Lim Kit Siang, Lim Lip Eng, Tian Chua, Zuraida Kamaruddin, Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad and lawyer Sankara Nair.

Asked if she worries for her safety in future, Teresa said she is seeking police protection for her family.

“I hope the police can give extra protection to my family members and also to all political leaders. If this can happen to me, it can also happen to anyone,” she asserted.

Leaders Condemn Attack

Meanwhile, DAP stalwart Kit Siang expressed shock and anger over the attack.

“I call on all Malaysians especially political leaders from both sides, and the Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar himself, media and bloggers to come out with clear cut condemnation over this irresponsible act,” he said.

He pointed out that differences should be resolved in a civil manner, adding that Pakatan leaders hope to meet the home minister and Deputy IGP Ismail Omar to discuss the attack on Teresa’s family.

Batu MP Tian Chua described the attack as a political attempt to divert public attention to some issues that did not even exist in the first place.

“Teresa has become a target for intimidation and repression,” he said.

Kuala Selangor MP Dzulkefly described the attack as “the politics of fear and intimidation”.

“This is not the way we should move forward (as a society) as this is against the spirit of Ramadan. The incident should not have taken place because we have laws in this country. But what they did was they just took the law in their own hands,” he said.

Gerakan acting president Dr Koh Tsu Koon also joined the opposition in condemning the latest barbaric act.

“(Although) Gerakan may not agree with the stand or approach of Teresa and other opposition leaders on certain issues, we strongly defend their right to freedom of peaceful expressions,” he said in a statement today.

Anyone disagreeing with her stand should instead be brave enough to engage her in peaceful debate or discussion, he said.

“No one should take the law into their own hands. Resorting to violence is actually an act of cowardice,” stressed Koh.

According to Koh, this was the second incident involving petrol bombs in two months. In early August, Molotov cocktails were thrown unto the former residence of Bar Council president S Ambiga after the controversial forum on inter-marriages.

Last May, the DAP headquarters in Ipoh was also attacked with two Molotov cocktails being hurled into their office.