Police gatecrash ceramah, arrest six

Officers interrupt Michael Jeyakumar's speech to about 100 people and detained two of the organisers and four protesting supporters.

PETALING JAYA: Six people, including PKR’s Teja state assemblyman Chang Lih Kang, were arrested after police swooped in on a ceramah at a housing area in Tapah, Perak, last night.

Sungai Siput MP Dr Michael D Jeyakumar was addressing a crowd of about a 100 people when police moved in 10 minutes into his speech and and made the arrests.

Chang along Perak PKR assistant secretary Tan Kar Hing, the organisers, were arrested when they tried to negotiate with police for more time to continue with the ceramah.

“Usually we have permits, but we decided to go on with the ceramah when an application for a permit was rejected at the 11th hour, ” said Chang, the PKR Perak vice-chairman.

Chang said police informed him he had commited an offence under Section 37(3) Police Act for taking part in an illegal gathering .

Another four were arrested when a group of people protested outside the Tapah police headquarters, calling for the two men’s release from the police lock-up.

They were PSM members Patrick Vincent and S Nagenteran (Jeyakumar’s assistant), PAS Supporters Club’s J Appalasamy, and PKR women’s wing member Chua Yee Ling.

‘No reason to reject permit’

Police charged that the four were disturbing the peace. All six were released by 11pm after their statements were recorded.

They have been asked to report back to the police headquarters on Sept 19, said Chang, who added that he is uncertain if they would be charged for any offence.

“The arrest was totally unprovoked and unnecessary because we were doing something very common to us,” said Chang, who was among the guest speakers last night.

Other speakers include Selangor exco Elizabeth Wong, Jalong state assemblywoman Leong Mee Meng, PKR state treasurer Yap Yit Thong.

Chang said there was no reason police to act the way they did as the it was a “small-scale ceramah in a garden and we were not disturbing anyone.”

“There was no reason to reject our permit in the first place. This has further ruined the reputation of the police. Everyone sees them as a the tool of the BN. They confirmed this yesterday,” said Chang