In yet another move marked by government indecision and ineptitude, PKR vice president Sivarasa Rasiah was released on police bail of RM5,000 after spending two days in remand for taking part in the August 1 mammoth anti-ISA rally.
But a 16-year old schoolboy Faizudin Hamzah is still under remand, with no news on his status forthcoming at all from the police.
And although Sivarasa was allowed to go home, till now it is unclear if the police plan to charge him.
None were preferred against him at the Sessions Court this morning but the Subang MP has been asked to report back at the Dang Wangi district police headquarters on August 17.
Sivarasa was among the 589 people the government said it arrested during a peaceful demonstration against the oppressive Internal Security Act on Saturday. The archaic law, in existence for 49 years, is dreaded by Malaysians as it is used frequently by the ruling Umno-BN government to jail dissenters and political foes for indefinite periods of time without trial.
Tens of thousand of Malaysians took part. Some news reports put the number at 20,000 but the actual figure is believed to have been much higher. Of the people detained that day, 40 were women and 44 were youths aged below 18.
Prime Minister Najib Razak has since come under severe fire for his role in handling the peaceful demonstration. On Sunday, he upset Malaysians even more by defending the brutal police attacks on the protesters.
There are hundreds of eye-witness accounts of police indiscriminately firing tear gas and chemical-laced water into the crowds without any consideration for their health or public safety.
“Detaining Sivarasa and selected Pakatan Rakyat and Gerakan Mansuhkan ISA activists is a form of revenge by the police,” said PKR strategic affairs director Tian Chua.
“However, Najib has already realized that the brutal clampdown was a publicity disaster. That’s why he is now talking about giving space for future protest. But by the fact that he is still not willing to reprimand the police shows he will continue to give them his full backing.
“It is a case of you scratch my back, I scratch yours. Najib needs the police to protect his regime which must be feeling very insecure now.”
What about Faizudin? Who will be responsible for him?
A total of 29 people were charged on Monday – 16 under the Penal Code and Police Act for illegal assembly, 13 under the Societies Act for assisting protesters by bringing them T-shirts with the imprints ‘Gagasan Mansuhkan ISA’.
The police also tried to remand three youths. Human rights lawyers have managed to fight off the remand order for Suhaib bin Mat Sah, aged 16, and his schoolmate Ammar bin Bad Latiff, aged 13.
But Faizudin was less fortunate. Arrested at 11.55pm on Friday night at the central bus station, he was remanded for four days. Police have still not given any reason.
The magistrate had granted an omnibus remand order without even seeing the boy, who was sleeping when he was detained.
“These kids should not be handcuffed nor should they be held in an ordinary lock up. What is more shocking is that they have been remanded,” an indignant Sivarasa told reporters who crowded the courthouse along with relatives of detainees since 8am on Monday.
“I want to ask the IGP and his political masters, what are you trying to do in trying to remand a 13- and 16-year-old? For God’s sake, what is in your mind?
“Malaysians very clearly now want the right of peaceful assembly and we will continue to fight for it. We continue to fight till the day when Malaysia has the laws to guarantee the right to peaceful assembly like other democratic countries.”
Faizudin has been placed in a cell with adult prisoners, bare-footed and made to wear inmate uniform. No investigating officer has come to see him yet. Neither has any statement been recorded from him so far.
“This is terrible. It is the welfare department’s duty to come immediately to the scene, but they are saying they don’t have any instructions from the police to do so,” an irate lawyer had said.
“Who will look after these kids then? They are now in jail with all the adult criminals. Who will guarantee their safety, who will be responsible? Will PM Najib take responsibility if they are beaten or even raped by the hard-core ones?”
SK
But a 16-year old schoolboy Faizudin Hamzah is still under remand, with no news on his status forthcoming at all from the police.
And although Sivarasa was allowed to go home, till now it is unclear if the police plan to charge him.
None were preferred against him at the Sessions Court this morning but the Subang MP has been asked to report back at the Dang Wangi district police headquarters on August 17.
Sivarasa was among the 589 people the government said it arrested during a peaceful demonstration against the oppressive Internal Security Act on Saturday. The archaic law, in existence for 49 years, is dreaded by Malaysians as it is used frequently by the ruling Umno-BN government to jail dissenters and political foes for indefinite periods of time without trial.
Tens of thousand of Malaysians took part. Some news reports put the number at 20,000 but the actual figure is believed to have been much higher. Of the people detained that day, 40 were women and 44 were youths aged below 18.
Prime Minister Najib Razak has since come under severe fire for his role in handling the peaceful demonstration. On Sunday, he upset Malaysians even more by defending the brutal police attacks on the protesters.
There are hundreds of eye-witness accounts of police indiscriminately firing tear gas and chemical-laced water into the crowds without any consideration for their health or public safety.
“Detaining Sivarasa and selected Pakatan Rakyat and Gerakan Mansuhkan ISA activists is a form of revenge by the police,” said PKR strategic affairs director Tian Chua.
“However, Najib has already realized that the brutal clampdown was a publicity disaster. That’s why he is now talking about giving space for future protest. But by the fact that he is still not willing to reprimand the police shows he will continue to give them his full backing.
“It is a case of you scratch my back, I scratch yours. Najib needs the police to protect his regime which must be feeling very insecure now.”
What about Faizudin? Who will be responsible for him?
A total of 29 people were charged on Monday – 16 under the Penal Code and Police Act for illegal assembly, 13 under the Societies Act for assisting protesters by bringing them T-shirts with the imprints ‘Gagasan Mansuhkan ISA’.
The police also tried to remand three youths. Human rights lawyers have managed to fight off the remand order for Suhaib bin Mat Sah, aged 16, and his schoolmate Ammar bin Bad Latiff, aged 13.
But Faizudin was less fortunate. Arrested at 11.55pm on Friday night at the central bus station, he was remanded for four days. Police have still not given any reason.
The magistrate had granted an omnibus remand order without even seeing the boy, who was sleeping when he was detained.
“These kids should not be handcuffed nor should they be held in an ordinary lock up. What is more shocking is that they have been remanded,” an indignant Sivarasa told reporters who crowded the courthouse along with relatives of detainees since 8am on Monday.
“I want to ask the IGP and his political masters, what are you trying to do in trying to remand a 13- and 16-year-old? For God’s sake, what is in your mind?
“Malaysians very clearly now want the right of peaceful assembly and we will continue to fight for it. We continue to fight till the day when Malaysia has the laws to guarantee the right to peaceful assembly like other democratic countries.”
Faizudin has been placed in a cell with adult prisoners, bare-footed and made to wear inmate uniform. No investigating officer has come to see him yet. Neither has any statement been recorded from him so far.
“This is terrible. It is the welfare department’s duty to come immediately to the scene, but they are saying they don’t have any instructions from the police to do so,” an irate lawyer had said.
“Who will look after these kids then? They are now in jail with all the adult criminals. Who will guarantee their safety, who will be responsible? Will PM Najib take responsibility if they are beaten or even raped by the hard-core ones?”
SK
03/08/09
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