PKR youth members arrested in Kuala Trengganu~malaysiakini


The Kuala Terengganu police this morning arrested five members from PKR's youth wing, including the party's Terengganu youth chief Faris Musa.

According to the wing's national chief Syamsul Iskandar, all five were arrested for putting up posters of murdered Mongolian woman Altantuya Shaariibuu as part of the party's polling campaign for the upcoming Kuala Terengganu by-election.

Syamsul claimed that their actions prompted the police to arrest them under the Sedition Act and the Printing, Publication and Presses Act.

Those detained are presently being held at the Kuala Terengganu police headquarters for questioning. They are expected to be released later today.

Syamsul blasted the arrests as politically motivated and labelled it as a systematic effort by the police to intimidate PKR party members.

"As far as I am concerned, you cannot categorise the putting up of such posters as a criminal offense. I believe the police have arrested them because the Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak is going (to Kuala Terengganu) today.

'Najib is scared'
"Just because of that, the police found it necessary to prevent our party members from putting up the posters.

"This shows that Najib is scared and that it reinforces our belief that he indeed is involved with the murder of Altantuya," said Syamsul when contacted.

Najib has been implicated in the murder which took place in October 2006 in which his associate Abdul Razak Baginda was charged and subsequently acquitted. The deputy prime minister has repeatedly denied any involvement or of ever knowing or meeting the dead Mongolian.

The Kuala Terengganu by-election on Jan 17 will see BN's Wan Ahmad Farid take on PAS' Mohd Abdul Wahid Endut.

Angkatan Keadilan Insan Malaysia vice-president Harun Mohamad is also expected to file in his nomination tomorrow.

Syed Jaymal Zahiid
malaysiakini
05/01/09

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