Anti-ISA rally: MP freed, 29 charged
PKR vice-president R Sivarasa was released today after spending two nights in detention.
PKR vice-president R Sivarasa was released today after spending two nights in detention.
The Subang MP was arrested for participating in Saturday's rally against the Internal Security Act (ISA) in Kuala Lumpur.
Sivarasa, who was released about noon, said he was unclear as to whether he would be charged. He has been told to report to the Dang Wangi district police headquarters on Aug 17.
Commenting further, the PKR leader said he was shocked to learn that 40 minors were among those picked up.
"These kids should not be handcuffed or held in an ordinary lock-up. What is more shocking is that they have been remanded," he added.
Sivarasa said another detainee had criticised the food provided to those in the lock-up.
"You wouldn't even give it to your cat," he quoted the detainee as saying.
Smelling a rat in the issue of budget for lock-up meals, he said he will raise the issue at the next Parliament sitting.
Meanwhile, 16 people who allegedly participated in the rally were charged under the Penal Code today for illegal assembly. Alternatively, they were charged with illegal assembly under the Police Act 1967.
Another 13 were charged under the Societies Act for assisting in the distribution of t-shirts for an ‘unlawful society’ known as the 'Gerakan Mansuhkan ISA'.
All 29 were charged before Sessions Judge Mohamad Sekeri Mamat.
Mention date set
Those charged with illegal assembly were Nordin Mohamad, Hayati Abdul Samad, Salmah Ismail, Norlaila Othman, Nashita Mohd Noor, Rashini, Hasbullah Pit, Wan Muhamad Jazlan, Mohd Pitri Mohd Yassin, Syaza Muaz Shaharudin, Mohd Sukri Mohd Sirat, Mohamd Sukeri Muhammad, Mohd Sallehuddin Yusof, Zulfasli Kama Kutty, Mohd Fazly Mohd Ismail, and Norazam Sakib.
They were said to have gathered where they were picked up, between 9am and 1.30pm, in the vicinity of Masjid Negara and Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman. The offence is punishable with a six-month jail term and a fine.
The 13 deemed to have assisted the protesters were Muhamad Sholihin, Ahmad Abd Wahab Abd Rahman, Abu Ubaidah Jalaluddin, Shahrul Iman M Salleh, Kamarul Nadhir Kadini, Mohd Ikhwan Ikram, Shamsul Anuar Nordin, Mohd Fadzil Jan Dam, Saad Musa, Mohd Hafizudin M Ghazali, Mohd Helmi Hassan, Mohd Lokman Amad Ulawi and a 16-year-old boy who cannot be named for legal reasons.
They were jointly charged with assisting in the distribution of T-shirts at Jalan Kinabalu, near Masjid Negara at 3.50am on Saturday. This is punishable with a maximum RM3,000 fine
DPP Shahidani Abdul Aziz @ Junid applied for bail at RM6,000 with one surety.
Lawyer Honey Tan Lay Ean objected to the sum for the minor, saying he should have been charged in the Children’s Court and that he should not have been held in the police lock-up.
Another lawyer Azizul Shahriman Mat Yusoff, submitted that the bail should be reduced as the offence is a minor one that did not involve any violence.
Mohd Sekeri fixed bail at RM500 with one surety for all the accused, while the minor was released on a RM300 bond without any deposit.
Three of the accused - Norlaila, Nashita and Rashini - were then taken to the Magistrate’s Court about 4.50pm where they were charged with failure to produce their Mykad when they were picked up.
Chief Inspector Muhamad Sapri Yaakub prosecuted while the three were represented by lawyers Rashvinder Singh and Richard Wee.
Magistrate Aina Azahra Arifin fixed bail at RM200 with one surety and set Sept 8 for mention.
Vigil mounted yesterday
Many of those detained were said to have been picked up even before the rally began.
Family-members and friends spent a long day waiting for their release yesterday, at the Bukit Jalil police station where the detainees were being held under remand.
Emotions ran high as they called out to the police, through the tightly-guarded gate, to release their husbands, daughters and sons.
Whenever anyone was released, a shout of takbir, reformasi or mansuhkan ISA reverberated throughout the police station.
But there was shock when two minors, dressed in the purple lock-up uniform, were led out by lawyers upon their release.
As the dusk crept in, some supporters led by Sivarasa’s wife Anne James held a short candlelight vigil.
Pakatan Rakyat leaders, including Elizabeth Wong, S Manikavasagam, Nasir Hashim, Xavier Jayakumar and Hee Loy Sian, turned up in a show of solidarity.
Some detainees vowed to take legal action against Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein, inspector-general of police Musa Hassan and Kuala Lumpur Chief police Mohamad Sabtu Osman for “abuse of power”.
Rembau PKR leader Nor Azizi Abdul Aziz who was held for a night said that he and three others were unlawfully arrested because this happened even before the demonstration took place.
“We were arrested in front of Sogo (shopping complex) on Saturday before the rally happened. When we asked the police why we were arrested, they said because we were wearing anti-ISA t-shirts,” said Nor Azizi.
Three pro-ISA supporters were also released last night - Yusnizam Yusof, 28, Iswan Talib, 22, and Wan Shaharum,30. They were arrested at Pasar Seni for allegedly carrying pro-ISA T-shirts.
