Eight arrested near Bar Council for defying a ban on illegal march

Despite Bar Council’s failure to obtain a Police permit, as provided under Section 27(5) of the Police Act for the planned “Festival of Rights” walk this morning, some lawyers, activists and supporters for the call to abolish restrictions on marchers without permit staged the walk on Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman, Kuala Lumpur.

Four lawyers and four activists, which include PKR politicians R. Sivarasah and Latheefa Koya and Amir Hamzah were arrested by the Dang Wangi Police in front of the Bar Council office for defying the ban and contravene the Police Act.

Bernama.com has the story:

December 09, 2007 10:54 AM

4 Lawyers, 4 Activists Held For Participating In Illegal March

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 9 (Bernama) — Police detained four lawyers and four activists for taking part in an illegal march at Jalan Tun Perak here this morning.

They started the march from the Sogo Shopping Complex at Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman to the Bar Council building at Jalan Raja here.

Dang Wangi Deputy OCPD Supt Che Hamzah Che Ismail said they were arrested under Section 27 (5) of the Police Act 1967 for illegal assembly.

He said the lawyers and activists were taken to the Kuala Lumpur police contingent headquarters for questioning.

“The organiser did not apply for a police permit to hold an assembly. The lawyers and activists also defied police orders to disperse,” he told reporters.

— MORE

Amongst the lawyers arrested was Edmund Bon, Ahirudin “Rocky” Attan’s defence lawyer in the sue by NTSP, Dato’ Kalimullah “Riong Kali” Hassan, Brenden Pereira, Dato’ Hishamuddin Aun and Syed Feisal Al Bar. Bon was also played an instrumental role for the illegal assembly and march of 26 September 2007 Bar Council’s “Walk for Justice” from the Palace of Justice to The Prime Minister’s Office, Perdana Putra, in Putrajaya.

Despite the lawyers and marchers understand the law, process of making and enforcing law, which is enshrined within the Constitution of Federation of Malaysia, as per passed and endorsed by democratically elected representative of the rakyat, they still vehemently defied the ban and disrespectful of the law. Regardless what their motives and intentions are and whether the march is peaceful or violent, it is still an illegal assembly and it’s a felony to break the law.

It is so unprofessional for these people to defy their profession and break the law. They always profess for the ‘Rule of Law’ and they are the ones who break and defy the law. Even the HRH Rulers made reminders that law and law enforcement agencies should be respected and adhered to.

For these recalcitrants, it is clearly a case of “Cakap tak serupa bikin“!

*An update, as at 22.45hrs

An addendum to the earlier Bernama.com report, published at 20.07hrs tonight:

December 09, 2007 20:07 PM 4

4 Lawyers, 4 Activists Held For Participating In Illegal March

A group of 50 people including lawyers, activists, bloggers and members of non-governmental organisations started gathering in front of the shopping complex since 7.30am.

The gathering is not only unlawful as they did not have a police permit but they had also snubbed the Bar Council’s decision to cancel the assembly very much earlier.

The marchers, wearing surgical masks, started their “Peace Walk” half-an-hour later, passing through Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman towards the Bar Council building, about 2km away, to mark World Human Rights Day tomorrow.

About 100 policemen were seen stationed along Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman till Jalan Raja as early as 7am to ensure the situation was under control.

However, there was some commotion when police ordered them to disperse as they were passing through Jalan Tun Perak in front of the old court building.

Irked by the police order, an argument ensued between the marchers and policemen, leading to the arrest of the lawyers and activists.

In the midst of the argument, some members of the group proceeded to walk to the Bar Council building.

Meanwhile, Bar Council president Ambiga Sreenavasan said she was disappointed with the police for detaining eight people, including four lawyers, for participating in the peaceful walk.

She said the people should be given the freedom to assemble peacefully.

“I believe it would have been a peaceful march if not for the police presence,” she said.

Ambiga was seen at the entrance to the Kuala Lumpur police contingent headquarters at about 10.30am presumably to negotiate the release of the eight people detained.

However, she was denied entry as police did not want her to interfere with investigations.

— BERNAMA

On another note, PKR politcian Tian Chua and PAS politician Mat Sabu was arrested earlier today, in connection with their explicit and strategic involvement in the November 10 illegal assembly and demonstration, originally planned from Dataran Merdeka to Istana Negara. It was understood that they would be charged for violating section 27(5) of the Police Act for unlawful assembly

More calls of ISA be used against HINDRAF if they threat national security

More calls for Hindu Rights Action Force (HINDRAF) leaders and key players to be dealt with seriously, even using existing provisions within the Constitution of the Federation against national security such as the Internal Security Act (ISA).

This time, UMNO Youth Head Dato’ Hishamuddin Tun Hussein came hard against HINDRAF. He also lambasted Anwar Ibrahim for his opportunistically ‘double standards’ and inconsistencies, for his crave of attention capitalising on manipulated facts and lies. This was with regards to his call now for Malaysians ethnic Indians whilst in India and contradict to what he could have but did not do, when he was in power.

Bernama.com

December 08, 2007 19:16 PM

Invoke ISA On Hindraf Leaders If They Pose Threat To Nation – Hisham     KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 8 (Bernama) — The Umno Youth wants the government to invoke the Internal Security Act (ISA), which provides for detention without trial, if investigations reveal the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) poses a threat to public peace and national security. Its chief Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein said the government must carry out thorough investigations into the activities of the movement said to be intending to resort to violence and planning to set up its own guerrilla squad. “We cannot permit a small fraction of Malaysians to inflict damage to the nation’s reputation to their whims and fancies, undermine national unity and harm the prevailing racial harmony. “The authorities must act fast to put a stop to the spread of malicious instigations, sowing seeds of hatred and discord through short-messaging service (SMS), Internet or street demonstrations, he said in a statement today. The Education Minister said Hindraf’s adverse activities to the nation and the people are very clear from their racist memorandum incorporating terrorist elements and their interviews with the foreign media and street demonstrations staged by them. Hishammuddin said Hindraf was trying to play with fire when they raised racial issues and tell lies to bring the country to disarray and stir up the anger of multiracial Malaysians. “It’s clear that what’s happening now is similar to the series of street demonstrations in 1988 led by former Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. “Anwar’s intention before and now is only one — to become the prime minister. He is not bothered about the impact on the country and the people. “His main aim is to achieve his unfulfilled dream even to the extent of dabbling in national unity and public order. “He is prepared to put the nation into shame in the eyes of the international community,” he said. Hishammuddin believed the people are wise enough to weigh Hindraf’s irresponsible accusations and were not prepared to go through the 1998 episode which inconvenienced the people, tarnished the country’s image and marred racial harmony which has been well entrenched among the various races. “Anwar himself never fought for Indians’ rights when he was in the government before and also now,” he said. This was evident from the defections of many Indians from Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), including his close friend and tennis partner Datuk S. Nallakarupan, he said. Anwar, who is PKR adviser, is the party’s de facto leader. Hishammuddin said the people realised that Anwar was only good at manipulating an issue, an incident or a group. “He often changes his stand to take advantage of what is happening,” he added. — BERNAMA

This came after UMNO leaders like former Cabinet Minister in-charge of Welfare Tan Sri Aishah Ghani made the same call. Earlier today UMNO Youth Exco in-charge of International Affairs Dato’ Mukhriz Mahathir ‘charged’ HINDRAF guilty for “high treason” and as an eyewitness of  ‘ethnic cleansing’ and conflict affected in places such as in Bosnia Herzegovina, Serbia and Kosovo, he thought the HINDRAF people had no iota of the conception what the term really means and insidiously seeks to spin a tale of lies. Selangor Menteri Besar Dato’ Seri Dr. Khir Toyo also concurred with HINDRAF’s racial extremism. Prominent defence lawyer Zainur Zakaria and a group of lawyers who call themselves as PEMBELA also insisted that stern action be taken against people who are traitors and extremists militants.

On the same note, Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Dato’ Shafiee Apdal said that the Company Commission of Malaysia has revoked the license of HINDRAF Enterprises, after report that the business enterprise was linked to the extremist militants HINDRAF and contravened the subsection 5 (2) of the Registration of Business Act, for doing activities which threatened the national security. The firm registered address is at a legal firm, where one of the HINDRAF leaders worked and the registered business owner be called in next week for investigations.

The Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi when asked to comment whilst in a two day visit in Johor, said he has no objection for the action, if it can be proven that HINDRAF Enterprises activities threatened national security.

Bernama.com has the story:

December 08, 2007 17:38 PM

Abdullah Says No Objections To Cancellation Of Hindraf Enterprise’s Licence

MUAR, Dec 8 (Bernama) — Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said he has no objections to the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry’s move to revoke the registration of Hindraf Enterprise. “It’s one of the ministry’s responsibilities and it has discharged this responsibility. I’ve no objections,” the Prime Minister told reporters after opening a programme to augment the well-being of the people of Johor here today. Yesterday, Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Shafie Apdal said the Companies Commission of Malaysia (CCM) had revoked with immediate effect the licence of Hindraf Enterprise which was believed to be linked to the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf). The CCM said in a statement today that the move was taken as the company had been used for unlawful purposes and purposes prejudicial to national security and public order. Asked whether Hindraf should be deregistered, Abdullah said given that it was not an entity registered under the Societies Act, the question of deregistration did not arise. Abdullah, who is also Internal Security Minister, said the police were monitoring Hindraf’s activities overseas and if its leaders and supporters committed any crime, their passports would be impounded. The prime minister said Malaysians could move around freely as the government did not put any restriction on their movement provided they did not commit any crime. On when he would call for the general election, he said in jest: “I’m not done with my calculations yet.” Abdullah said he was pleased to see the level of support shown by the people during his two-day visit to the state since yesterday. However, he said, other factors would have to be considered in fixing the election date. The prime minister later left for Kuala Lumpur. — BERNAMA

Again, despite so much have been said about HINDRAF leaders, they are still free to go about their business to disrupt the smooth movements of the workable and practical, harmonious and proven mechanism and components of nation building within this country. Earlier today, HINDRAF leader P. Uthayakumar made a Police report against Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Dato’ Seri Nazri Aziz, Attorney General Tan Sri Abdul Ghani Patail and Inspector General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan, for making statement that HINDRAF is linked to the Sri Lankan terrorist group Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam.