The Malaysian Insight

THOUGH not quite as spectacular, the news footage of the “abduction” of two Turkish men in Petaling Jaya could have been a scene right out the movie “Taken”.
 
The news, which broke on theglobepost.com, showed CCTV footage of several men bundling Turgay Karaman and another man into a vehicle in the carpark of an office block in Damansara Heights at 4.11pm yesterday
 
But by mid-morning, Inspector General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar said on Twitter that the two men had not been abducted but rather arrested for suspected involvement in activities that threatened national security.
 
This came as a surprise to Ayse Gul Karaman, his Turkish wife of 14 years. The couple have six children.
 
“No. No. No. I can’t accept that he is a dangerous person because he doesn’t even hurt an insect. Why is this happening?” said Ayse outside the United Nations High Commission for Refugees building today.
 
“In the 14 years of our marriage, he has never hurt me. He does not even raise his voice towards me,” she said.
 
The 37-year-old housewife said anyone who thought her husband was a criminal must be “crazy”.
 
“At home, he picks up the ants, one by one to free them outside. Even the cockroach. He doesn’t use insecticide; he will open the door or window for it to run out,” she said.
 
Ayse said she met her husband here and they had since made Malaysia their home.

“All six of our children are born and raised here. So this is our first home, not our second home.
 
“We don’t look at Malaysians as foreigner; they are like our brothers and sisters,” she said between sobs.
 
Ayse said her husband had no work affiliations in Turkey and had come to Malaysia to work immediately upon graduation.
 
“He has nothing back home. He came here to work immediately after his studies.
 
“That was when we met, during our younger years. I was 23 then, he was 27 when he came here,” Ayse said, smiling at the recollection even as tears rolled down her cheeks.
 
She said Turgay had always been the one to call her parents back in Turkey. In fact, he was talking to them the morning before he was arrested.
 
Ayse said she had not been able to bring herself to tell her parents about his arrest.

Her husband was due to start work soon as the principal of Time International School Kuala Lumpur.
 
“He hasn’t started working at the school yet but he is going to be the principal there.
 
“Anyone can be a teacher but not anyone can be an educator. He raises his students to be on good behaviour and to be examplary persons. He is that kind of person,” she said.
 
The other Turkish national arrested is Ihsan Aslan, who has also lived in Malaysia for 15 years. He is married to a Malaysian woman.
 
His wife told theglobepost that he had been missing since 8pm on Monday.
 
Friends and family of the two men were reported to be concerned that Turgay and Ihsan would be extradited to Turkey.
 
Turkey’s official news agency, Anandolu Agency reported that Malaysia had extradited three members of the Fetullah Terrorist Organisation (Feto) to Turkey.
 
Turkey has accused Feto, which is led by US-based Fetullah Gulen, of organising the July 15 coup and a campaign to infiltrate Turkish institutions such as the military, police and judiciary.
 
In the failed coup, 241 people were killed and some 2,200  injured. Following the coup, about 70,000 people, including  7,028 military personnel, 2,385 judges and 19 governors. were arrested. – May 3, 2017.