KUALA LUMPUR, Sat: Six people, including three Parti Keadilan Rakyat members of parliament, were detained by police for gathering illegally in front of the Istana Negara at 10.30am today.
The three were R. Sivarasa (Subang), S. Manikavasagam (Kapar) and Zuraida Kamaruddin (Ampang).
The other three were the gathering’s organising committee member Lourdes Mary, human rights lawyer N. Surendran and Zuraida’s special assistant Salmah Ismail.
Brickfields OCPD ACP Wan Abdul Bari Wan Abdul Khalid said they were taken to the Brickfields police station for questioning and freed on police bail at noon.
Three Members of Parliament were among six people arrested Saturday for participating in a rally in front of Istana Negara here.
Kapar MP S. Manikavasagam, Subang MP R. Sivarasa and Ampang MP Zuraida Kamaruddin were arrested at 10.30am Saturday for protesting the detention of Hindu Rights Action Force leaders under the Internal Security Act 1960.
Three other PKR members were also arrested.
Brickfields OCPD Asst Comm Wan Abdul Bari Wan Abdul Khalid said all of the people arrested were released on bail by 12.45pm.
He said the police arrived at about 10am and asked members of the public, including tourists, to vacate the area around Istana Negara's main gate.
"Everybody left except for a group who refused to leave. We gave them three warnings to disperse. Deputy OCPD (Supt Azri Abd Rahman) spoke to them, and at 10.20am, I told gave them five minutes to disperse.
"At 10.25am, they still refused to leave so we arrested them. No force was used, and they did not resist arrest," he said.
At 10.35am, ACP Wan Bari said a group of 70 people, including about 15 children, alighted buses parked some distance away and walked towards Istana Negara.
"Each child was carrying a basket lined with yellow cloth containing flowers and a teddy bear. They left the baskets in front of the palace gate," he said, adding that they left after being asked to.
ACP Wan Bari said he could not comment further on investigations as "counter-reports have been made" against him for ordering the arrest of the six, and his comments would prejudice investigations.
According to Hindraf national event coordinator Kannan Ramasamy, the purpose of the gathering was to appeal to the King to advise Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar to release all the ISA detainees.
“These children do not have their fathers with them for Father’s Day (tomorrow) and that’s why they gave the King flowers as he too is a father,’’ said Kannan.
It is understood that the gathering by that began at 10am was to celebrate Father’s Day by 70 children whose fathers are currently detained under the Internal Security Act.
The three were R. Sivarasa (Subang), S. Manikavasagam (Kapar) and Zuraida Kamaruddin (Ampang).
The other three were the gathering’s organising committee member Lourdes Mary, human rights lawyer N. Surendran and Zuraida’s special assistant Salmah Ismail.
Brickfields OCPD ACP Wan Abdul Bari Wan Abdul Khalid said they were taken to the Brickfields police station for questioning and freed on police bail at noon.
Three Members of Parliament were among six people arrested Saturday for participating in a rally in front of Istana Negara here.
Kapar MP S. Manikavasagam, Subang MP R. Sivarasa and Ampang MP Zuraida Kamaruddin were arrested at 10.30am Saturday for protesting the detention of Hindu Rights Action Force leaders under the Internal Security Act 1960.
Three other PKR members were also arrested.
Brickfields OCPD Asst Comm Wan Abdul Bari Wan Abdul Khalid said all of the people arrested were released on bail by 12.45pm.
He said the police arrived at about 10am and asked members of the public, including tourists, to vacate the area around Istana Negara's main gate.
"Everybody left except for a group who refused to leave. We gave them three warnings to disperse. Deputy OCPD (Supt Azri Abd Rahman) spoke to them, and at 10.20am, I told gave them five minutes to disperse.
"At 10.25am, they still refused to leave so we arrested them. No force was used, and they did not resist arrest," he said.
At 10.35am, ACP Wan Bari said a group of 70 people, including about 15 children, alighted buses parked some distance away and walked towards Istana Negara.
"Each child was carrying a basket lined with yellow cloth containing flowers and a teddy bear. They left the baskets in front of the palace gate," he said, adding that they left after being asked to.
ACP Wan Bari said he could not comment further on investigations as "counter-reports have been made" against him for ordering the arrest of the six, and his comments would prejudice investigations.
According to Hindraf national event coordinator Kannan Ramasamy, the purpose of the gathering was to appeal to the King to advise Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar to release all the ISA detainees.
“These children do not have their fathers with them for Father’s Day (tomorrow) and that’s why they gave the King flowers as he too is a father,’’ said Kannan.
It is understood that the gathering by that began at 10am was to celebrate Father’s Day by 70 children whose fathers are currently detained under the Internal Security Act.
source: Bernama & Star online
14/06/08
1 comment:
The only comprehensive solution is that we have to completely defeat UMNO in the next general elections.
There is a difference between UMNO and Barisan Nasional. I want to make it clear that it is not the Barisan Nasional (BN) government, but the UMNO government. It is not the government, but UMNO. Barisan Nasional is a coalition of unequals, not equals. UMNO is the big brother in BN. Therefore UMNO must be held responsible; and more importantly, UMNO must not be allowed to hide behind the BN banner. UMNO is the enemy, not BN.
I have come to the conclusion that the easy solution is to completely defeat UMNO in the next elections.
In the 2004 elections (11th General Election), the voters gave good support to Mr.Abdullah Badawi. But reforms did not come. Why? Probably because UMNO had done well in the elections. If UMNO had done well in the elections, then the election results tell UMNO that the voters are satisfied with the status quo. If the voters are satisfied with UMNO, then no reforms are necessary. In the 2008 elections (12th General Elections), UMNO did not do well, but she managed to win. UMNO did lose the 2/3 majority in the Parliament, but she did win, nevertheless. Will UMNO undertake reforms now? I would not be surprised if she did not. Why should she? UMNO is still the winner in the elections; and she can plan to rise and may even succeed to rise again. So, as long as she wins, she will never undertake the reforms. So, how do the voters get the reforms that they need? The voters will get the reforms when UMNO is completely defeated in the 13th General Elections. If UMNO wins zero seats in the next elections (13th General Elections), then some other party would have to rule Malaysia. Let us call it Party B. If UMNO is completely defeated in the next elections (13th General Elections), then Party B would rule Malaysia. Would Party B undertake reforms? If Party B does not undertake reforms, then voters would know what to do.
So, the next step for Malaysians is to completely defeat UMNO in the next elections.
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