PM: M’SIANS FED UP OF BERSIH
KUALA LUMPUR: Bersih 2.0 c h a i r man Mari a Chi n Abdullah will be detained for the full 28 days under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma). The information from lawyer Eric Paulsen was confirmed by Kuala Lumpur CID chief SAC Rusdi Mohd Isa when contacted by theSun yesterday. Paulsen, who together with lawyers Datuk S. Ambiga and R. Sivarasa yesterday attended a meeting at the Dang Wangi police station, said Maria will be challenging her detention. He said Maria was in good spirits despite being denied contact with family and lawyers since Friday. “So far, she’s only been there for a couple of days. She was happy that Bersih was a success and urged everyone to carry on with the nation’s reform agenda,” he added. Commenting on why Maria was being detained under Sosma, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said he will leave it to Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar and AttorneyGeneral Tan Sri Mohamed Apandi Ali to answer the question. “Let’s ask the AG and IGP to
answer, I don’t want to touch on operational issues,” Ahmad Zahid said.
Under Sosma 2012, a person can be arrested without a warrant and be detained for 24 hours for investigation.
The police may, however, extend the detention for up to 28 days for the purpose of investigations, and if the detained person is released before the end of the 28 days, the police may propose attaching an electronic monitoring device, through a court order, for the remainder of the 28-day period.
Red Shirts leader Datuk Seri Jamal Mohd Yunos was on Saturday remanded for four days for rioting and obstructing a public servant in the discharge of his public function as well as using criminal force in detering a public servant from discharging his duty.
Meanwhile, various magistrate’s courts yesterday granted a two-day remand order on several other individuals who were detained before or during the Bersih 5 rally on Saturday. In a series of tweets, Lawyers for Liberty stated the decision was made following a two-hour hearing.
“Remand allowed two days for activist Hishamuddin Rais, Ampang MP Zuraida Kamaruddin, Batu MP Tian Chua, activist Fahmi Reza and Pasir Pinji assemblyman Howard Lee,” said the tweet.
All those remanded were arrested for rioting under Section 147 of the Penal Code.
Rusdi confirmed PKR Wanita chief Zuraida Kamaruddin was also detained on Saturday night in connection with the Bersih rally but did not disclose where she was being held.
About 30 Bersih supporters, including Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Azmin Ali, were outside the Jinjang centralised lockup yesterday in a show of solidarity for Bersih leaders who were detained.
A total of 22 leaders and activists from both Bersih and the Red Shirts movement were detained.
Among those arrested were Bersih secretariat officer Mandeep Singh, Razali Zakaria (Red Shirts), Anis Syafiqah Md Yusof (student activist), Muhammad Safwan Anang (Solidariti Mahasiswa Malaysia former chairman), Mohd Shabudin Abu Hassan (Red Shirts), Anthony Loke (Seremban MP), Umno Youth exco Datuk Armand Azha Abu Hanifah and student activist Muhammad Luqman Nul Hakim Zul Razali.
However, Bernama later reported that some of those detained including Mandeep, DAP leaders Ronnie Liu, Jimmy Wong and Lee Khai Meng, Parti Socialis Malaysia leader S. Arutchelvan, Muhamad Luqman, student activists Anis Syafiqah and Muhammad Safwan, and Red Shirts activist Hairol Nizam Md Nor and Razali have been released.