PSM: A circus of violations
Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) has accused Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein, Inspector-General of Police Ismail Omar and his deputy Khalid Abu Bakar for gross violations of human rights as well as abuse of power and the laws.
Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) has accused Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein, Inspector-General of Police Ismail Omar and his deputy Khalid Abu Bakar for gross violations of human rights as well as abuse of power and the laws.
In a police report lodged yesterday, PSM secretary-general S Arutchelvan pointed the finger at the trio for their “false allegations” and “ill will” against the party, and “attempts to mislead the people of Malaysia with ridiculous stories and fantasies”.
All this, and the detention of six PSM members under the Emergency Ordinance (EO), have been to protect and promote the interests of the BN and its leading party Umno, he said.
“Every step taken by the (police) under the orders of the home minister has shown that the laws have been misused and abused for the interests of Umno and BN,” he said in his report lodged at the Penang police contingent headquarters in Georgetown.
Accompanying Arutchelvan was Rani Rasiah, a central committee member and wife of Sungai Siput member of parliament Dr Michael D Jeyakumar who has been detained under the EO.
Friends and family members of the other five - M Sarasvathy, Choo Chon Kai, M Sugumaran, A Letchumanan and R Saratbabu - were also present.
The EO provides for detention without trial for up to 60 days. PSM said this is the first time the draconian law - usually used against hardcore criminals - has been applied to political activists.
Their detenti
on came after they had initially been held for 'waging war’ against the Agong Section 122 of the Penal Code. They were released last Saturday but were immediately
re-arrested
at the Butterworth district police headquarters - this time on the charge of being a threat to public order and safety.
They were then taken to the federal police headquarters in Bukit Aman, Kuala Lumpur.
Arutchelvan accused Khalid of harbouring a personal grudge against Jeyakumar over a previous incident during a PSM campaign.
“PSM (is) holding responsible the home minister, the IGP and his deputy if any of the six detained are harmed or their lives threatened,” he said.
‘Panic in BN’
In a statement released early today, Rani blasted the federal government for acting irresponsibly for fear of losing public support.
She said the BN’s anxiety “has reached panic proportions” and that the coalition appears to have abandoned all vestiges of civilisation and democracy and resorted to “all the brute might it has at its disposal”.
“Reason, logic and decency were thrown out of the window and the wildest of fabrications were woven to frighten Malaysians with the scenario of an armed insurrection to replace the BN government,” she said in reference to allegations that PSM is seeking to revive communist ideology.
Despite the ord
eal, PSM “will emerge stronger from this attack on us”, Rani declared, motivated by the belief that “the wealth of the country should be evenly distributed such that everyone can live in comfort in an environment without fear and with full human rights”.
“The policies of the BN government have made Malaysia currently the most unequal country in Southeast Asia. The gap between rich and poor continues and will continue to widen with the withdrawal of subsidies for essentials, the imposition of the GST, the widespread privatisation of government services, the refusal to enact a minimum living wage law (and) the signing of FTAs (among others),” she added.
“The PSM has campaigned against each of these, distributing leaflets, holding discussions and talks, putting up banners, presenting memorandums to the government and, as a last resort, holding demonstrations to persuade the government to listen.”
Unlawful group: PSM activists charged
Police question three more elected reps
Irate Kapar MP leaves court after no-show by cops
17 PAS leaders, members remanded in Malacca
Bersih 2.0: Coalitions need not be registered
Marina Mahathir: Attacks on Ambiga in bad taste
PM: Rally mere ruse to gain power
Cops to probe Ambiga's bank account
Reporters questioned as 'independent witnesses'
PSM activists under EO still denied legal access
MCMC keeping close watch on blogs and news portals
