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Police attacks on Pakatan ceramahs good for us, says PAS

KUALA LUMPUR: PAS deputy president Datuk Mahfuz Omar has thanked the police for raiding a ceramah held in a Selangor-owned building, Sultan Sulaiman Club in Kampung Baru, here, which left three officials bruised and injured and hundreds unhappy.

“I must thank the police for raiding our gathering; now the people will hate them even more,” he told more than 1,000 supporters who remained in the building, after the raid.

The ceramah was in conjunction with Pakatan’s second anniversary celebrations.

Some 50 police and Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) personnel stormed onto the stage minutes into PKR vice-president Azmin Ali’s speech, which came on the heel of Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim’s speech.

“This building does not belong to Umno, it’s not Rosmah’s (Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor). It belongs to Selangor in the Menteri Besar's name,” Azmin said angrily to rousing shouts of reformasi.

According to sources, several PKR officials and members of the public, who attempted to stop the raid, were beaten by FRU personnel.

On stage with Azmin were Mahfuz, Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, Titiwangsa parliamentarian Dr Lo’Lo’ Ghazali, Khalid and Federal Territory Pakatan leaders.

Azmin said the police action was based on a tip-off that Anwar would be launching a VCD on the latest fatwa by acclaimed Muslim religious scholar Dr Yusof Qardawi in relation to the sodomy 2 trial.

It took PKR officials 20 minutes to negotiate with the police who eventually allowed them to continue with the ceramah on condition that it was confined to the hall.

PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and wife Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah arrived after the raid.

Pakatan preparing a dossier

Meanwhile, in a press conference at PKR headquarters today, Anwar said that Pakatan will start compiling a dosier on human rights abuses undertaken by the police to be forwarded to the Asean secretariat, the International Human Right Council and also to the European Union Human
Rights Council.

“The people are entitled to gather peacefully. They are also entitled to hear their leaders speak on the federal government,” he said.

He lambasted the police for denying permission for gatherings and for using force to disperse the crowd.

“Permit to gather peacefully is not given and even if given, it is with unreasonable conditions.The police also regularly withdraw the given permits without reasons,” he added.

He also said that Pakatan will be continuing to highlight these abuses to the Malaysian Human Rights Commission (Suhakam).

FMT
08/03/10

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