PSM has sent a memorandum to the Attorney-General's Chambers urging them to implement higher standards and regulations for police procedures during investigations.

This follows alleged inconsistencies in a string of incidents involving the arrests of several of their members for various reasons.

"We raised a lot of questions (to the AG's Chambers) because there were a lot of inconsistencies on how the police were handling us in Johor," PSM central committee member S Arutchelvan told Malaysiakini today.

For example, he said, PSM central committee member Khairul Nizam Abd Ghani was initially arrested under the Sedition Act on Dec 28 and investigated by Bukit Aman at the Dang Wangi police district headquarters.

He was soon released and they were reassured by Bukit Aman that he would not be called to Johor for the investigation, even though the report against him was lodged in Johor by an unnamed individual.

However, a week later, Arutchelvan said the police themselves lodged another report against Khairul under the same act, and this time insisted he was brought to Johor for the investigation.

"Why is it that for the second case, he has to be brought to Johor because the report was lodged in Johor whereas for the first case, he was investigated by Bukit Aman even though the report was also lodged in Johor?

"Why is there such an inconsistency from the police?" their memorandum read.

Arrested for candlelight vigil

PSM also asked the chambers to look into the possibility that some of the charges brought against their members stemmed as an act of revenge, according to the memorandum.

Arutchelvan said that when their members held a candlelight vigil outside the Johor police station for Khairul, there was no action taken against them.

He claimed that police later warned them against holding a second candlelight vigil threatening they would face arrest if they do so.

As Khairul was released the next day, PSM did not hold another candlelight vigil.

"Then they (police) arrested the ones involved in the candlelight vigil the day before," Arutchelvan lamented.

Last year in three separate incidents, Arutchelvan, Khairul and PSM activist Khalid Ismath were arrested and charged under the Sedition Act.

Shortly after that, three other PSM members including PSM secretary-general A Sivarajan were arrested on Jan 10 after their candlelight vigil outside a police station in Johor.

PSM's memorandum was received by AG's Chambers officer Zaaba Abu Bakar, and Arutchelvan said the latter appeared understanding of their expressed concerns.