Police crack down on Sarawak activists

By HU Editor

ALERT as at 1.10am Malaysian Time on 7 Jan 2011: Abun Sui Anyit, activist and native land rights lawyer was stopped by police at Miri airport upon arrival from Kuching at around 8.30pm. He was said to be carrying CDs and VCDs containing recordings of TV Sarawak Bebas (Sarawak Free TV) and Radio Free Sarawak. Police told Abun that they suspected the content of CDs and VCDs were seditious.

Abun had since been taken to the Miri Central Police Station.

Meanwhile in Kuching, 6 Ministry of Home Affairs (KDN) officials and unknown number of Malaysia’s Special Branch Police went to SADIA office just past midnight and confiscated CDs and VCDs. SADIA secretary and activist Nicholas Mujah had been taken by police to the Satok Police Station in Kuching.

Something is bothering the government to such an extent that they are going after its critics at such odd hours?

Updates at 5.30am Malaysian Time:

In Miri, Abun posted bail with one surety about 3am and went home. His statement was taken under the Sedition Act and he had to present himself in court today, 7 Jan morning.

In Kuching, three people were actually brought to one police station with Nicholas Mujah. The other two were social activist BK Ong and SADIA Staff, Nikodemus Singgai. However, the KDN officers recorded statement only from Nicholas Mujah. Mujah’s statement was recorded at the KDN office which is in another location from the first police station.

Mujah was informed that he was being investigated under the Film Censorship Act. After this statement was taken, he was released on bail with one surety and sent to another police station to execute bail. He is not charged but he is required to report back to the police station in one month’s time.

All together, about 1400 CDs/VCDs were confiscated in Kuching (1200) and Miri (200). Two disc burners were also confiscated in Kuching, together with some 70+ disc promotional leaflets. Recorded materials are from the sites below. Seditious? The public be the judge.

Mujah is finally out of the police station, but not before having to wait for a senior police officer to get to the station when there was no senior officer at the station when Mujah arrived to post bail.

TV Sarawak Bebas http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xQGa8daiIw

Radio Free Sarawak http://radiofreesarawak.org