PSM slams Deputy IGP over ridiculous accusations

The party want the police to charge the six if there are evidence of them being involved with foreign elements and have subversive tendencies.

GEORGE TOWN: Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) today dismissed the police accusation that its six leaders detained under the Emergency Ordinance (EO) 1969 were involved with foreign elements and have subversive tendencies.

The same reasons were also given by Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak today, saying that the EO detention was necessary to prevent any untoward incidents.

PSM secretary-general S Arutchelvan rebuked the accusation made by Deputy Inspector General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar by calling them “ridiculous and outrageous.”

Khalid told reporters yesterday that the six, including Sungai Siput MP Dr D Michael Jeyakumar, were re-arrested under Section 3(1) of the EO because they were suspected to be involved with foreign elements and had rebellious inclination.

“What the deputy IGP is talking is full of rubbish and bullshit.

“If police were convinced about the allegations, they should charge the six and produce the evidence,” Arutchelvan told newsmen outside the state police headquarters this morning.

Later Arutchelvan led a group of PSM members to lodge a police report against the Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein, IGP Ismail Omar and Khalid at the Butterworth police station at 12.30pm.

In the report, PSM called on the police to immediately release the six detained under EO.

The report also accused the police of abusing the power by wielding the draconian law.

The report raised a question on why the six were released from the charges of waging a war against the King under Section 122 of the Penal Code but immediately re-arrested under the EO.

It also questioned why the so-called hardcore PSM leaders were released from Section 122 while ordinary members were still detained for the charge.

Arutchelvan told reporters that he received information from police sources, including from the state police chief Ayub Yaakob and Seberang Perai Utara district police chief Zulkifli Alias, that the re-arrest under EO was due to directives from the top.

“If one were to google on Khalid previous entanglements with Dr Jeyakumar, especially during PSM cycle campaign, one would be convinced that the deputy IGP is exacting his revenge now.

“I would say that Khalid has a personal vendetta against Dr Jeyakumar,” he alleged.

EO, a draconian law ala Internal Security Act, has been normally used to detain suspected hardcore criminals and gangsters for a 60-day detention without trial.

“This is the first time the ‘Pariah’ law had been used against political party members,” hit out an upset Arutchelvan.

Where’s evidence of causing unrest?

In the notice of EO arrest issued to the detainees’ families, police have informed that the six were re-arrested because they were believed capable of causing civil unrest via various means at their disposal.

Arutchelvan chided the police for changing the charges according to their whims and fancies when originally all PSM detainees were held in suspicion of planning to take part in the illegal Bersih rally on July 9.

“Where are the evidence that we would cause civil unrest?” he asked.

Dr Michael Jeyakumar, 56, aside, others re-arrested under the EO were deputy chairman M Saraswathy, 58, central committee members Choo Chon Kai, 33, and M Sugumaran, 50, who is also the Sungai Siput branch chairman, the branch secretary A Letchumanan, 49, and national Youth chief R Sarathbabu, 25.

Of the remaining 24, police have released two underaged teenagers – Raveen Veerasenan, who is Dr Jeyakumar’s son, and S Thivaya Kumar, who is Sugumaran’s son.

Police have also released another woman from Pusing, Perak, Chong Mooi, 55, leaving 21 more detainees, comprising 12 women and nine men, aged between 20 and 58, under remand until July 4.

Raveen Veerasenan, Thivaya Kumar and Chong Mooi however, will have to appear at Butterworth Court on Monday.

The PSM detainees’ original seven-day remand order from last Saturday expired yesterday.

Their remand was extended to another three days by the Butterworth Sessions Court yesterday evening. They are being held to be questioned for waging war against the King.

Six arrested in Johor

Meanwhile, the police today arrested six DAP members in Johor for distributing Bersih leaflets.

Those arrested include Bakri MP Er Teck Hwa.

The government yesterday declared Bersih as an illegal organisation. In the past week more than 100 people, including Pakatan lawmakers, were arrested for supporting the July 9 Bersih rally.