KUALA LUMPUR: The police have been criticised for disrupting a candlelight vigil on Sunday commemorating the anniversary of the Bersih campaign for free, fair and clean elections and for arresting 23 people at the event.
"I cannot understand why peaceful Malaysians were attacked," said DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, expressing shock at the incident.
On Sunday night, DAP MP Tony Pua (PJ Utara) and Selangor assemblyman Lau Weng San (Kampung Tunku) were arrested by the police. Pua claimed that he was kneed in the stomach by the police while Lau, who has lodged a police report, was punched in the face, resulting in cuts on the face and lips. Selangor Executive Council member Ronnie Liu was also detained along with two members of the press and Catholic priest Father Paulino Miranda. All but one have been released as of yesterday.
When approached for his comments yesterday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi asked for details of the incident. He said that the police would have had a reason for being at the scene.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar said he had only been informed about the rally yesterday and would check whether abuse of power had taken place.
"Police work is police work. Their responsibility is to maintain law and order and I have not got any report (on the rally) since I only got to know about it this morning as somebody was telling me.
"This is routine police work and if you have done anything that affects the law and order, the police have taken action and if you are not happy with it, you bring it specifically and let me check on it," he said.
Sharon Tan
The edge
11/11/08
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