Kapar MP arrested for possessing Bersih T-shirts

In another police crackdown on Bersih, Kapar parliamentarian S Manikavasagam and his secretary Jayachandran were picked up by police, while meeting up with traders at the Meru Wholesale Market, near Klang.

"I was detained by police with Jayachandran and am now at the Sungai Kapar Indah Police Station.

"My car was also impounded because there are nine Bersih T-shirts (inside)." said Manikavasagam (right) in successive postings on micro-blogging site Twitter just after 2pm.

PKR organ Keadilan Daily reported him saying that police detained him at about pm at the market whilst touring the area and meeting with traders.

He also denied that he was distributing Bersih leaflets or T-shirts.

"The Bersih T-shirts were only in my car, I went there to meet the small Malay traders association when a bunch of cops suddenly nabbed me.

"My car was driven by my secretary. He was detained too. Police are taking our statements now," he told Keadilan Daily.

'Bersih T-shirts found'

He also recounted how he tried to explain to police that he was on a walkabout with about six party members, on his rounds to meet his constituents, but was rebuffed and had his car searched.

That said, Manikavasagam was when police found the T-shirts in question.

The elected representative later tweeted at 4.43pm that he is out on bail and being investigated under Section 47 of the Societies Act.

"Out on police bail RM 1000. Tomorrow 12pm they are charging me under Section 47 of the Societies Act," read his tweet.

The said section makes it an offence for anyone found in possession of documents and/or collateral "which is issued or appears to be issued by or on behalf of or in the interests of an unlawful society".

The Bersih 2.0 electoral reform coalition has been declared an illegal association by Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein (left) yesterday.

Following which police has intensified their crackdown against anyone even remotely connected with the rally or its distinctive shade of yellow.

The Kapar MP is the second MP to be arrested in relation to the planned July 9 rally. Bakri MP Er Teck Hwa was arrested with five others while in the midst of a 'gotong-royong' to clean up a market in Johor. They were dressed in yellow. - Malaysiakini