Two prominent opposition leaders were arrested late last night in Kepala Batas, Penang, for taking part in an 'illegal assembly' which was conducted within the compound of the PAS' operation centre there.

But instead of questioning the duo - PAS secretary-general Nasharuddin Mat Isa and Keadilan deputy Youth chief Saifuddin Nasution Ismail - about the gathering, police had purportedly asked them specific questions about their political work.

During the three-hour interrogation, Saifuddin, who is Lunas state assembly representative, said he was asked whether Umno leaders had made him an offer to return to Umno.

"I was also asked about the sentiments of Chinese voters in Lunas," he told malaysiakini.

"Nasharuddin was asked how much money was spent organising the ceramahs and why PAS leaders were against the closure of people's religious schools nationwide," he said.

"This is a confirmation that the police is being used by the government for their own political agenda," he added.

Out o­n police bail

The duo were detained by police at a road block outside PAS' operation centre in Pongsu Seribu.

They were taken to the Butterworth police headquarters and charged under Section 20 of the Police Act for participating in an illegal assembly.

Police bail of RM2,000 each were posted and the duo were asked to report at the station o­n Feb 26, after being questioned for about three hours.

Nasharuddin and Saifuddin were speaking at a PAS ceramah (political talk) attended by a 2,000-strong crowd when police 'stomped' in at about 11.15pm and attempted to break up the gathering.

Saifuddin said police used loud hailers asking the crowd to disperse and waved a banner carrying the slogan "This is an illegal assembly under Section 20 of the Police Act".

"Police did this despite the gathering being conducted peacefully and confined to the PAS operation centre," Saifuddin told malaysiakini.

"We were disciplined and well-mannered. The crowd hardly spilled outside the boundary of the operation centre. Police even had to open the gates to enter the premises," he added.

The government has tightened their control over ceramahs and peaceful gatherings after the last general election in 1999, where Barisan Nasional managed to obtain o­nly about 55 percent of popular support from voters.

Double standard

Deputy Prime Minsiter and Home Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is the member of Parliament for Kepala Batas.

Several opposition leaders are facing charges under the same Act for allegedly participating or organising 'illegal' assemblies, which the authorities say have a tendency to turn violent.

But Saifuddin, who is Lunas state assembly representative argued that gatherings conducted within the confines of a building or compound do not need a police permit.

He accused the police of practising double standard, saying that police did not disrupt another gathering held in Dewan Millenium, organised by Umno and officiated by Abdullah the same evening.