POLICE STATEMENTS CONTRADICT WHAT TOOK PLACE AT BT SELAMBAU CHAOS!

Police detained 31 individuals, believed to be Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) supporters, for taking part in an unlawful assembly in front of the Taman Ria Jaya field in Sungai Petani last night. Kedah police chief Syed Ismail Syed Azizan said all of them, including two women, were released after their statements were taken this morning.

Several people including Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) supporters were arrested to help in the investigation. PKR advisor Anwar Ibrahim was supposed to speak at the assembly which began at 8pm but was seen leaving the place in a vehicle when the situation turned chaotic.

The Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) had to fire teargas at the crowed when they repeatedly defied police orders to disperse. Several people turned violent, throwing stones at the police. The crowd finally dispersed at 1am after police sprayed water at them from water cannon.

Kuala Muda OCPD ACP Hashim Ali said police had no choice but to act tough on the group. “We cannot allow them to assemble unlawfully due to the security factor and moreover the ceramah did not have a police permit,” he said. Bernama

The Mighty Pen says: This is the report from The Star website: The 31 people arrested by police at the illegal PKR ceramah by the party’s de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim here on Monday night have been released on police bail. They were released at about 3.30am Tuesday morning.

The 31 detainees — PKR leaders, a senator and members of the public — were detained for taking part in an illegal assembly, Kedah police chief Deputy Comm Syed Ismail Syed Azizan said when contacted Tuesday. “The police had asked the people to disperse but they were stubborn. So the police were forced to disperse the crowd ourselves,” he said.

In the Monday night incident, Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) personnel fired water cannons and tear gas to disperse a large crowd that had gathered at Taman Ria Jaya here to listen to a ceramah (public address) by Anwar, who was there to launch the Kedah PKR Wanita operation centre. The situation intensified as angry PKR supporters refused to leave and began to retaliate against the police action, jeering FRU personnel and throwing stones and other objects at them.

The irony of the two reports from Bernama and The Star is; they never mentioned the police came from the back, unknown to all, without any notice and started dispersing them like animals. The use of tear gas and water cannons has become habitual in police actions against the people. We are surprised why they don’t resort to such actions if it involves the ruling government’s leaders. These Umno dogs always seem to have valid reasons for their wrong and cruel actions!

Mighty Pen
24/03/09

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