KUALA LUMPUR: The fate of the 58 supporters of the banned Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) who were arrested on Sunday will be decided soon.
They are currently being investigated under the Sedition Act, Printing Presses and Publications Act, staging illegal assemblies and preventing police from carrying out their duties.
The 58 were nabbed at illegal assemblies held at Selangor, Perak, Negri Sembilan and here, where they distributed flyers condemning the controversial Interlok novel.
Criminal Investigation Department director Datuk Seri Mohd Bakri Zinin said police were in the midst of completing their investigations before submitting the papers to the Attorney-General’s Chambers.
“All 58 have been identified as being members of the banned Hindraf movement. They were released on bail after having their statements recorded.”
He said the illegal assemblies had caused public disorder and traffic jams.
“There are many ways for people to highlight their displeasure, but holding illegal assemblies is not one of them.”
It was reported yesterday that among those arrested was a 10-year-old girl who had taken part in an illegal assembly with her parents in Brickfields.
Meanwhile, Hindraf will still go on with its Feb 27 rally to call for a ban on Interlok despite the arrest of 58 of its members.
Hindraf legal adviser and Human Rights Party Malaysia pro-tem secretary-general P. Uthayakumar told the New Straits Times yesterday that this was the only way for them to continue highlighting the alleged discriminations against the Indian community.
The rally will be held at the Kuala Lumpur City Centre at 9am.
Uthayakumar, who was held under the Internal Security Act on Dec 13, 2007, for his alleged involvement in street demonstrations in Kuala Lumpur and issuing slanderous statements against the government, said Hindraf had applied for a permit with the Dang Wangi district police headquarters on Feb 11 for the rally.
“It is our constitutional right to hold a peaceful assembly,” he said, adding that the application had been acknowledged by the police.
Uthayakumar urged Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein to issue the party a permit to assemble on Feb 27.
“We also urge the minister not to disrupt the rally as we are holding a peaceful demonstration.
We don’t want tear gas and water cannon.”
Read more: 58 Hindraf protesters to know their fate soon http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/09fihh/Article/#ixzz1E0FBKSwU
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