Sue! Sue! Sue!

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP) - - A Malaysian prince has denied abusing his estranged teenage US-Indonesian model wife and threatened to launch legal action against her for making false allegations, his lawyer has said.

ADVERTISEMENT

Tengku Temenggong Mohammad Fakhry, the prince of Kelantan state, on Thursday lodged a police report in the Malaysian capital denying that he had raped and tortured his 17-year-old wife, his lawyer told the state Bernama news agency.

"A police report has been lodged... we will be contemplating legal action with regard to the false allegation," said the attorney, Haaziq Pillay.

Manohara Odelia Pinot last week told reporters she was treated like a sex slave after her marriage last year to Tengku Fahkry, whose father is the sultan of Kelantan.

She escaped the prince's guards at a Singapore hotel and returned to her family in Indonesia with tales of abuse, rape and torture at the hands of the 31-year-old prince.

District Police Chief Zulkarnain Abdul Rahman confirmed to AFP that a report had been lodged by the prince and that police would investigate.

"The investigations will be transferred to the Kubang Kerian police station in Kelantan as the incident was alleged to have occurred there and comes under the jurisdiction of the police there," he added.

Manohara -- a well-known socialite in Jakarta -- claimed to have been cut with a razor and injected with drugs which made her vomit blood while being held under guard in her bedroom at the palace.

Her lawyer said she had filed a police report on the abuse but Indonesian police say they are unable to investigate as the incidents took place outside their jurisdiction.

An Indonesian forensics expert said Tuesday that Manohara had been physically abused.

"He (Fakhry) is just panicking to guard the good name of his family. We have proof that Manohara was abused. He should be jailed," her attorney Farhat Abbas told AFP.

Sue! Sue! Sue! These words seem to be the favourite threat of the rich and powerful! My heart goes out to the pitiful and beautiful wife of the Malaysian prince, Manohara Odelia Pinot. I applaud her for her daring escape from the hands of her cruel and perverted husband, Mohammad Fakhry.

Though most of us have not witnessed the abuse, we could only deduce some truth in the matter. Which lady would want to escape from the comfort of a palace with so many maids in attendance.? Which lady would want to flee from a kind and loving husband? Which lady wants unnecessary publicity and attention towards her shame and sufferings? Morever, an Indonesian forensics expert had proof that Manohar had been physically abused. The prince could lie, but wounds, injuries and scars do not lie.

I hate it when the rich and powerful abuse the people under their care. It is worse when they sue even when they are in the wrong.! In Hokkien, we call it, "Gong gong pai" translate into English means "Stupidly fierce". All of us must remember that no matter how rich or powerful we are, there is Someone up there, even more powerful than us, and His judgement is something to be reckoned with.

Gan Chau