Umno-linked demo sub judice, police told

DAP’s Sivakumar lodges a report against demonstrators who wanted Anwar to submit his DNA sample for the ongoing sodomy trial.

IPOH: DAP has asked police to act against those who staged Sunday’s street demonstration pressuring opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim to submit a sample of his DNA to the court that is hearing his sodomy trial.

The action was sub judice and in contempt of court, said Perak DAP’s deputy chief, V Sivakumar, in a police report he lodged at the Ipoh police headquarters yesterday.

Sivakumar said he believed that the 40-odd protestors, led by state executive councillor Hamidah Osman, were members of Umno and NGOs friendly to it. They gathered on Sunday afternoon in front of Pakatan Rakyat offices in Medan Istana and posted messages on the doors that touched on the ongoing sodomy trial.

The demonstration lasted for about 45 minutes. There were three truckloads of policemen at the scene, but they did not interfere.

Sivakumar was the speaker of the Perak legislature during Pakatan Rakyat’s short rule of the state. Several Pakatan leaders accompanied him to the police station.

He urged the police to investigate and act against the protestors.

Speaking to FMT afterwards, he said Pakatan Rakyat had no objections against public demonstrations because they were part of the democratic process.

“What angers us is the attempt to pressure and influence the High Court,” he said.

“Outsiders and third parties should not interfere in court matters, for that would be against the doctrine of separation of powers.” - FMT