Teresa: IGP's no-show at teddy bear handover sparks questions of commitment
Published: Nov 23, 2025 7:00 PM
Updated: 10:00 PM
A DAP lawmaker has voiced disappointment that Inspector-General of Police Khalid Ismail did not personally receive the teddy bear from M Indira Gandhi, despite the group’s clear intention for a symbolic handover following their protest march to Bukit Aman.
“His absence raises serious questions about the sincerity of the institution’s commitment to this case,” Teresa Kok said in a statement to Malaysiakini.
Kok acknowledged that the police allowed the protest to proceed peacefully yesterday, but stressed that permitting an assembly does not erase years of inaction in locating Indira’s daughter Prasana Diksa or enforcing the Federal Court’s ruling.
Standing in solidarity with Indira and everyone who joined the march, the Seputeh MP said 16 years is “far too long for any mother to wait”, adding that it is heartbreaking that Indira still needs to take to the streets simply to be heard.
“The image of Indira carrying her daughter’s teddy bear, clutched tightly for over a decade, is a stark reminder that behind this case lies a mother’s unending grief.
“No parent should have to endure such uncertainty while institutions continue to fail in providing closure,” she added.
Protesters marched to Bukit Aman from Sogo yesterday, with M Indira Gandhi pushing her daughter Prasana Diksa’s teddy bear in a pram
Indira’s ordeal began in 2009, when her ex-husband, now known as Riduan Abdullah, unilaterally converted their three children to Islam and abducted their youngest, Prasana, who was then only 11 months old.
She has not seen her daughter since, despite the Federal Court in 2018 nullifying the children’s conversions and ordering the inspector-general of police to arrest Indira’s ex-husband for defying the High Court’s directive to return Prasana.
Humanitarian crisis
Kok argued that this is no longer just a legal matter but a humanitarian crisis - one involving a child, a mother’s suffering, and repeated institutional failures to enforce court orders and deliver justice.
The veteran lawmaker also welcomed the assurance by her party colleague, Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) M Kulasegaran, to arrange a meeting between the police chief and Indira within the next three weeks.
“If the meeting does not occur within the promised timeframe, then Malaysians are justified in demanding stronger accountability from the police leadership,” she said.
Indira’s ordeal began in 2009, when her ex-husband, now known as Riduan Abdullah, unilaterally converted their three children to Islam and abducted their youngest, Prasana, who was then only 11 months old.
She has not seen her daughter since, despite the Federal Court in 2018 nullifying the children’s conversions and ordering the inspector-general of police to arrest Indira’s ex-husband for defying the High Court’s directive to return Prasana.
Humanitarian crisis
Kok argued that this is no longer just a legal matter but a humanitarian crisis - one involving a child, a mother’s suffering, and repeated institutional failures to enforce court orders and deliver justice.
The veteran lawmaker also welcomed the assurance by her party colleague, Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) M Kulasegaran, to arrange a meeting between the police chief and Indira within the next three weeks.
“If the meeting does not occur within the promised timeframe, then Malaysians are justified in demanding stronger accountability from the police leadership,” she said.
Kok stressed that Indira’s case has come to symbolise more than the disappearance of a child - it now reflects the public’s faith in the rule of law and whether Malaysians can trust institutions to uphold justice without fear or favour.
“The Federal Court has spoken clearly, yet its orders remain unenforced after all these years.
“I urge the IGP and the senior police leadership to meet Indira personally, to demonstrate compassion, responsibility, and the seriousness this case demands,” she added.
Last Friday, the Ipoh High Court ordered the police to conduct a nationwide search for Indira’s ex-husband.
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