Ku Li and Musa see nothing wrong with Bersih rally

LUMPUR: Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah has spoken out against the detention of Maria Chin Abdullah under a security law, while Tun Musa Hitam says the Bersih rally was the best thing to have happened.

Tengku Razaleigh, the veteran Gua Musang MP, said he could not understand why the Bersih 2.0 chairman should be subjected to the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma).

“I’m puzzled. Seems as though the wrong law has been used for the purpose,’’ he told reporters at the Parliament lobby yesterday.

Based on what he knew, Tengku Razaleigh who is fondly known as Ku Li, said Maria did adhere to notifying the authorities of the rally.

“They informed the authorities that they were having the Bersih rally and the Constitution allows for a peaceful demo. I don’t see why she should be detained,” he added.

Asked if he sympathised with Maria, the 79-year-old Kelantan prince said “yes”.

Maria was detained on Friday in a pre-Bersih swoop by police. She is being held under Sosma which allows for detention up to 28 days.

Musa, a former deputy prime minister who also headed Suhakam at one time, said he was pleased that the Bersih rally took place peacefully.

“By demonstrating peacefully, we have proven the naysayers wrong. As an Umno member, I’ve always been for peaceful assembly and still hold on to that view even if other party members don’t,” he told reporters after delivering a keynote address at the Women’s Institute of Management yesterday.

“I hope this culture of peaceful demonstration may soon be accepted by both the people and the Government.

“I think it’s part of a democratic process where people can let out steam and voice out their views in between the general elections.

“If people are allowed to demonstrate without fear or favour, it will be more than a huge plus for the Government,” he added.

Musa said the fact that the rally went ahead without any major incident also spoke a lot about the authorities’ capability and the psychology of the people.

In Petaling Jaya, Maria’s eldest son lodged a police report yesterday over the alleged inhumane conditions in which she is currently being detained.

Azumin Mohamad Yunus, 23, claimed that his mother was being kept in solitary confinement at an unknown location while suffering from hypertension and osteoarthritis.

“She needs to take her medication to keep her condition under control,” he said.

“She had a check-up scheduled at University Malaya Medical Centre on Sunday for her osteoarthritis,” Azumin said.

“She was not able to make it to the appointment because she was arrested.”