GEORGE TOWN – The couple whose two restaurant outlets were decorated with Maoist themed wallpapers and other furnishings had their statements recorded by police here after they were released earlier today from quarantine.
The couple had returned from China two weeks ago.
The outlets with the communist designs were discovered by a customer who had alerted police.
Police officers who raided the two premises have removed the decorations which appear to depict China’s late communist leader Mao Zedong and his supporters.
The Malaysian husband and his wife, who is a Chinese national, were escorted to the police headquarters by their lawyer Devkumar Kumaraendran, who gave a brief press statement.
Devkumar said that his clients claimed they were not promoting communist ideologies through the wallpapers at their two restaurants in Pulau Tikus and Auto City Juru.
The wallpapers have been installed for the past six years without any issue, he said.
He added that the couple had given their full cooperation to the police during the investigation.
“The wallpapers have been there since they opened these restaurants and there have been no objections since,” he said.
Police, including those from the D7, D9 and Special Branch teams, were sent to the two outlets.
They ascertained that there were elements of “communist ideology” on the walls of the two restaurants.
Five local workers were arrested, and the wallpapers were taken down by police before the investigating officers closed the restaurants, taking away the keys with them.
Lawyers said that the police may be overzealous in removing the wallpaper, as there was no evidence to ascertain if communism was being advocated by the duo.
The couple are being investigated for sedition and the promotion of an illegal organisation. – The Vibes, January 13, 2021
