Malaysian govt denies cover-up in Kelantan prince scandal
By Channel NewsAsia's Malaysia Bureau Chief Melissa Goh Posted: 03 June 2009 0029 hrs Manohara Odelia Pino, 17, is kissed by her mother as she arrives at her residence in Jakarta KUALA LUMPUR : The Malaysian government has denied any cover-up in the alleged abuse of the teenage Indonesian model wife by her Malaysian prince husband. The Minister in the Prime Minister's department Nazri Aziz will investigate if a formal report is lodged, as he said no one is above the law. Meanwhile, the Kelantan royal family has denied all allegations of wrongdoing by Tengku Mohd Fakhry, also known as Tunku Temengganong. 17-year-old Manohara Odelia Pinot made the front page of Malaysian papers after news of her dramatic escape shocked the nation. The teary teenage model claimed that she was sexually abused and tortured by her husband Tengku Mohd Fakhry, who treated her, she said, like a toy. Last August, the then 16-year-old Manohara, whose father is French, married the 31-year-old prince. Now back in Jakarta, she said she has had enough, and is filing for a divorce. Manohara's mother Daisy Fajarina has also vowed to press charges against the prince pending a full medical report. Speaking in Kuala Lumpur, government officials say they are in the dark as there has been no formal report lodged so far. "He just happens to be the son of the Sultan... no one is above the law. This report is criminal act against the state and we will take action," said Minister Nazri, a Minister in the Prime Minister's department. The Kelantan royal family, has also dismissed the allegations as slanderous and defended its youngest prince. "Prove it. Manohara must be prepared to go to an independent doctor in Australia or France, only then it's fair," argued Mohd Sabri Shafiee, a spokesman for Tengku Fakhry. Mohd Sabri, who is a close friend of Tengku TT - as the prince is commonly known - also expressed hopes that Manohara will apologise to clear the air. He said: "Impossible as a human being that he can be cruel when we all know that he loves her so much. Tengku will not run away; we'll make sure the truth comes out. He later produced footage of the couple's happy moments together. "To repair the damage, Manohara needs to tell the truth, seek the husband's forgiveness and Tengku TT will take her back," said Mohd Sabri. He blamed Manohara's mother, whom he described as materialistic, for messing up the daughter's marriage which otherwise could have worked. "She wants everything - house, cars, you name it. I don't want to go into details," said Mohd Sabri. In a statement issued, the Kelantan royal family urged the media to respect their privacy and not to play up on the scandal that is fast becoming a major embarrassment to the royal family. - CNA /ls From ChannelNewsAsia.com; see the source article here.
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