IPOH: Former state executive council member Paul Yong (pic) who is accused of raping his Indonesian domestic helper has claimed that the charge against him is a “political ploy.”

       The Tronoh assemblyman said there were rumours on the possibility of him being replaced as an exco member due to the unstable Pakatan Harapan government then in 2019.

       Another reason was that the date of the alleged incident was very close to the swearing-in ceremony for the new exco members.

       “At that time, there were certain parties envious of me, because as an exco member, I was holding five important portfolios, and I believe I had political enemies.

       “I could sense I was being followed by different cars each time I got out of office to go home, and a neighbour who is also a politician, had informed me that there were unknown cars that stopped in front of my house on several occasions,” he told Judge Datuk Abdul Wahab Mohamed.

       Yong testified under oath yesterday after he was ordered to enter his defence on the charge.

       During cross examination by the state prosecution director Azlina Rashdi, the accused was asked if he had lodged any police report on the accusations that he had made, to which Yong replied no.

       Azlina then said that neither was Yong replaced as an exco member nor did the state government fall, so his claim of a political ploy was untrue.

       Yong denied her accusation.

       Yong’s wife Too Choon Looi, 46, who took the stand, said her husband never raped the maid on the said day as Too said she left the house for only 10 minutes.

       She added it was impossible for her husband to rape the maid in just 10 minutes.

       “A friend was there with my husband when I went to a fast food restaurant nearby. When I got home, I did hear the voice of the friend talking to my husband.

       “After the friend left, my husband went to the kitchen. Then we went upstairs and had a shower. We had sex and slept after that,” she said.

       Too also said the maid was acting “normal” on the day of the alleged incident and the next day as well.

       “If my husband had indeed committed such a crime, I will not be taking his side. But I am very sure he did not do it,” she added.

       Too also disagreed with Azlina that the story about her having sex with her husband on that night was an afterthought.

       The trial continues on March 31.

       On Dec 7, Yong was ordered to enter his defence for allegedly raping the helper more than two years ago.

       Justice Abdul Wahab had ruled that there was a prima facie case against Yong after taking into consideration all the evidence submitted throughout the trial.

       On Aug 23, 2019, Yong claimed trial at the Ipoh Sessions Court to a charge of raping his then 23-year-old maid.

       The offence was allegedly committed in a room on the top floor of his house in Meru Desa Park between 8.15pm and 9.15pm on July 7 that year.