MP and five JERIT supporters arrested
MP and five JERIT supporters arrested
by Karen Arukesamy
PETALING JAYA (Dec 9,2008): Six people including Sungai Siput MP Dr D Jeyakumar, four coordinators of the coalition Jaringan Rakyat Tertindas (Jerit) and a bus driver were arrested today near Kuala Kangsar during their 'Ride for Change' cycling campaign.
The coordinators -- Rani Rasiah, 53, M Sukumaran, 47, P Jody, 49, and M Karthiges, 27 -- were arrested when they refused to give out the particulars of the 44 participants who followed them in a bus.
The team was going to Sungai Siput from Kamunting with the other participants travelling in a bus when they were stopped by police at the Kuala Kangsar exit along the North-South Expressway at about 12.30pm.
Jerit national coordinator Y Kohila told theSun police stopped the bus and wanted details of all the participants.
She said when the coordinators enquired why they were stopped, the police said they were curious why they bus had so many people.
She said the coordinators refused to give police the participants’ details and gave their own particulars instead.
She said police demanded bus driver, S Vasuabbraw, 49, to open the door to take details and he was arrested when he refused to do so without the coordinators’ instruction.
The participants in the bus were then taken to the police station for questioning and later released.
Kohila said one of the team members was manhandled by police, who allegedly punched her on the face and sexually assaulted her outside the police station.
She said the incident was witnessed by two others in the team and the woman lodged a report on the assault at the police station.
According to Kohila, police confiscated a camera belonged to another coordinator, Lee Huat Seng, whose arm was hurt him in the process.
In Taiping, earlier in the day, two cyclists, Yong Chat Wah, and Ooi Choon Nam, both 22, were arrested at the Bukit Gantang Rest area in Taiping for distributing campaign leaflets.
Kohila said police claimed Jerit's office address was wrongly printed in the leaflet.
Meanwhile, the southern cyclist team also faced problems on the route.
Kohila said the cyclists were blocked at Segamat at about noon, and detained by police for more than three hours.
"A lorry containing bicycles, van with leaflets and a Pajero were taken to Segamat district police headquarters.
"They were released at 3.30pm," she said.
She also said the OCPD mentioned that he had received calls protesting the blocking of the vehicles.
The van driver was released on police bail as police are investigating the leaflets.
Kohila said the reason given was that "there is no proper information on the publisher" of the leaflets.
"Despite assurances from the Segamat OCPD on Monday that he will extend full cooperation to the campaign, yesterday the officers did this,” she said.
"Their aim is to frustrate us and make it hard for us to continue the campaign. But the more they stop us, the more persistent we are," she added.
She also said the Kluang OCPD had checked the leaflets and found no problem with them.
She said the campaign will continue until the cyclists reach Kuala Lumpur on Dec 18.
She also said Jerit will submit a memorandum to Suhakam (Malaysian Human Rights Commission) tomorrow to protest police intimidation and harrasment of the Jerit cycling team.
Updated: 07:36PM Tue, 09 Dec 2008
http://www.sun2surf.com/article.cfm?id=28347
seals: Wahhh...people cannot "call for change" also ..... can get arrested. But people can gather in front of Bar Council and have molotov bomb and get police protection and uni students can get permit in 2 hours. Wah .... what message the police sending ......
I fell like we are in British time ..but this time the British is BN. UMNO/MCA/MIC then is now the PEOPLE.
by Karen Arukesamy
PETALING JAYA (Dec 9,2008): Six people including Sungai Siput MP Dr D Jeyakumar, four coordinators of the coalition Jaringan Rakyat Tertindas (Jerit) and a bus driver were arrested today near Kuala Kangsar during their 'Ride for Change' cycling campaign.
The coordinators -- Rani Rasiah, 53, M Sukumaran, 47, P Jody, 49, and M Karthiges, 27 -- were arrested when they refused to give out the particulars of the 44 participants who followed them in a bus.
The team was going to Sungai Siput from Kamunting with the other participants travelling in a bus when they were stopped by police at the Kuala Kangsar exit along the North-South Expressway at about 12.30pm.
Jerit national coordinator Y Kohila told theSun police stopped the bus and wanted details of all the participants.
She said when the coordinators enquired why they were stopped, the police said they were curious why they bus had so many people.
She said the coordinators refused to give police the participants’ details and gave their own particulars instead.
She said police demanded bus driver, S Vasuabbraw, 49, to open the door to take details and he was arrested when he refused to do so without the coordinators’ instruction.
The participants in the bus were then taken to the police station for questioning and later released.
Kohila said one of the team members was manhandled by police, who allegedly punched her on the face and sexually assaulted her outside the police station.
She said the incident was witnessed by two others in the team and the woman lodged a report on the assault at the police station.
According to Kohila, police confiscated a camera belonged to another coordinator, Lee Huat Seng, whose arm was hurt him in the process.
In Taiping, earlier in the day, two cyclists, Yong Chat Wah, and Ooi Choon Nam, both 22, were arrested at the Bukit Gantang Rest area in Taiping for distributing campaign leaflets.
Kohila said police claimed Jerit's office address was wrongly printed in the leaflet.
Meanwhile, the southern cyclist team also faced problems on the route.
Kohila said the cyclists were blocked at Segamat at about noon, and detained by police for more than three hours.
"A lorry containing bicycles, van with leaflets and a Pajero were taken to Segamat district police headquarters.
"They were released at 3.30pm," she said.
She also said the OCPD mentioned that he had received calls protesting the blocking of the vehicles.
The van driver was released on police bail as police are investigating the leaflets.
Kohila said the reason given was that "there is no proper information on the publisher" of the leaflets.
"Despite assurances from the Segamat OCPD on Monday that he will extend full cooperation to the campaign, yesterday the officers did this,” she said.
"Their aim is to frustrate us and make it hard for us to continue the campaign. But the more they stop us, the more persistent we are," she added.
She also said the Kluang OCPD had checked the leaflets and found no problem with them.
She said the campaign will continue until the cyclists reach Kuala Lumpur on Dec 18.
She also said Jerit will submit a memorandum to Suhakam (Malaysian Human Rights Commission) tomorrow to protest police intimidation and harrasment of the Jerit cycling team.
Updated: 07:36PM Tue, 09 Dec 2008
http://www.sun2surf.com/article.cfm?id=28347
seals: Wahhh...people cannot "call for change" also ..... can get arrested. But people can gather in front of Bar Council and have molotov bomb and get police protection and uni students can get permit in 2 hours. Wah .... what message the police sending ......
I fell like we are in British time ..but this time the British is BN. UMNO/MCA/MIC then is now the PEOPLE.
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