PKR's Chang detained over mini-ceramah in Tapah

Six people, including Teja state assemblyperson Chang Li Kang, were detained by police for several hours last night in connection with a small-scale ceramah they held at a housing area in Tapah last night.

Chang said he and Perak PKR assistant secretary Tan Kah Heng were the first to be detained around 8.45pm at the ceramah venue for holding a public gathering without a permit.

The other four were detained about 15 to 20 minutes later, in front of the Tapah district police station, where they gathered and repeatedly chanted bebas (free) in demanding for the release of Chang and Tan.

Chang (left) said police first approached them around 8.30pm to tell them they had 15 minutes to disperse from the ceramah venue, a basketball court in the middle of a housing area.

“They were not there to negotiate. They simply came and told us we had 15 minutes to leave. We told them that was not possible, but they just left. Fifteen minutes later, they came back and detained me and Tan Kah Heng,” he said when contacted.

The other four, who included Hulu Selangor district councillor Chua Yee Ling, were part of a small group that assembled in front of the Tapah police station to demand for the pair's release.

Chua said an officer came and told them they had five minutes to stop chanting and disperse, but claimed that barely a few seconds later the police moved in and arrested three people.

'Disturbing puiblic peace'

“I tried to negotiate with them, but I was also arrested by a policewoman. They told us we were being detained under the Police Act,” she added, though police did not specify under which section.

Chang said all six of them were eventually released around midnight. He and Tan were informed that they were detained under Section 27(3) of the Police Act for holding a public gathering without a permit.

“We don't know what section (of the Police Act) they used against the other four, but verbally the police said it was for ganggu ketenteraman awam (disturbing public peace) and being a public nuisance,” said the PKR elected representative.

Chang said the police had acted with clear ill intent in dispersing last night's ceramah, stressing that PKR's Tapah division had applied for a permit a week earlier.

“At the 11th hour, they chose not to issue the permit. This was a normal ceramah on current issues. Around 100 people turned up, which was about as much as we had expected.

'No more applying for police permits'

“We weren't blocking traffic. The police were also unreasonable, as they wanted us to do it in a dewan (hall) but we couldn't get one. This is a very bad precedent... I have attended so many ceramah, but this is the first time I have been arrested for simply attending,” said Chang, who was a guest speaker at the event.

In protest, Chang said they would not apply for permits for futureceramah the time being, until the police “rectify the way they do things”.

DAP may also consider arranging to meet with the Tapah police chief, pending discussions with the party leadership and legal advisers.

“We're disappointed. The police gave no good reason (for their action). We abided by the law and sent our application for a permit more than a week earlier. The police were clearly mala fide in their actions.

“For the time being, we will organise ceramah without permits... they are not going to give it to us anyway,” Chang added. - Malaysiakini