I’m being dragged into dispute between traders, says Kok

Seputeh MP Teresa Kok (centre) holding up a copy of the police report outside the Brickfields police headquarters.

KUALA LUMPUR: Seputeh MP Teresa Kok says she is being dragged into a dispute between traders in Taman OUG, Kuala Lumpur, amid a TikTok video linking her to the alleged collection of funds from them.

The DAP MP said the video claiming the funds were being collected by “an association under the patronage of Teresa Kok” was a wild accusation and must be probed by police.

“I have no right to issue licences to traders or sell the spaces (for traders to operate in the markets). I’m also not a patron of any associations as alleged.

“I want the police to investigate those who have thrown these wild accusations at me and take appropriate action against those involved.

“I want to clear my name as this has gone viral,” she said outside the Brickfields police headquarters after filing a police report over the video.

The video published by TikTok account “AATV News Online” included a press conference given by former DAP member Tony Tan, who claimed that an association was previously “selling licences” at between RM3,000 and RM30,000 each for traders to operate.

He also claimed the traders were “living in fear” and had tried to meet Kok over the matter but failed.

When contacted, Brickfields police chief Ku Mashariman Ku Mahmood said 27 reports were lodged last year and 19 this year over the issue, but most of them were referred to City Hall for further action.

He told FMT the matter stemmed from a dispute between the old committee leading the association of traders there and the new committee that was recently selected, adding that the funds were not being collected illegally.

Kok said the TikTok account had never sought her comment on the claims made at the press conference, reiterating that this was simply a conflict between the previous and current committees leading the association of traders.