2 MPs, 23 others claim trial to disobeying police order

PETALING JAYA: Two members of parliament and 23 others were charged in the Sessions Court here yesterday with refusing to obey a police order to disperse at a protest here against the goods and services tax (GST).

The group claimed trial to committing the offence at the Federal Territories Customs Complex at Jalan SS 6/3 Kelana Jaya, Petaling Jaya at 5 pm on March 23.

The accused MPs were Mohd Hatta Md Ramli ( Kuala Krai), 58, and Micheal Jeyakumar Devaraj (Sungai Siput), 59.

Charged with them were Rembau PKR branch chief Badrul Hisham Shaharin or ‘Chegubard’, 36; former Solidariti Mahasiswa chief Muhammad Safwan Anang@ Talib, 26; and Parti Sosialis Malaysia ( PSM) secretary- general, S Arutchelvan, 47.

Others were Suhaili Wan Azahar, 20; Azhar Achil, 39; Muhammad Sufian Jaafar Sidek, 27; Md Sani Md Shah, 37; Megat Khairul Anuar Razali, 29; Muhammad Nasir Abu Bakar, 26; Akmal Noradzmi Abd Rahim, 23; and Mohd Nasaei Ismail, 30.

The rest were B Suresh Kumar, 38; Edy Noor Reduan, 34; Khairol Najib Hashim, 22; S Nagenteran, 33; Tan Chee Hooi, 39; and Ahmad Syukri Che Ab Razab, 29.

Six of the accused were women: M Sarasvathy, 61; Y Kohila, 39; Nashita Md Noor, 49; Soh Sook Hwa, 32; K Bawani, 29; and Annie Ooi Siew Lan, 69.

The charge under Section 21(3) of the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012 carries a fine up to RM20,000 upon conviction.

Judge Yasmin Abdul Razak set bail at RM3,000 with one surety each, and May 14 for re-mention.

Deputy public prosecutor Suhaimi Ibrahim appeared for the prosecution, while the accused were represented by counsel Roger Chan N Visvanathan, Melisa Sasiteran, Fadhilah Fazil, Chan Wen Hui, Dinesh Muthal, Joshua Tay, Faridah Muhammad, Zulhazmi Shariff, Muhd Zaki Sukrey and Muhd Fitry Hussain. — Bernama