PSM-6: No apology but RM48,000 in bail for 28 days of their lives

The Najib administration has charged the six Parti Sosialis Malaysia leaders including Sungai Siput MP Jeyakumar Devaraj for possession of subversive documents, slapping on bail of RM8,000 each for a total of RM48,000.

The six, had been remanded without trial under the Emergency Ordinance for 28 days until their surprise release on July 29. On Wednesday, they were charged under Section 43 and 48(1) of the Societies Act as well as Section 29(1) of the Internal Security Act.

All six pleaded not guilty and a hearing has been fixed for October 10. The six detainees are Jeyakumar, Choo Chon Kai, Sarat Babu, M Sarasvathy, M Sukumaran and A Letchumanan.

The charge was also read to another 24 PSM supporters who were also arrested as part of the group of 30 on June 25. They had been travelling to Penang for a Bersih roadshow in the run-up to the July 9 rally and detained in deplorable conditions for attempting to rekindle Communism and waging war against the King. They had all been released after several days of detention, with only the 6 leaders rearrested under the EO on July 2.

Making use of the PSM-6 for the MIC meet

The PSM-6 were released on Friday, a day before the MIC annual congress where Prime Minister Najib Razak had tried to create a good impression with Indian community, many of whom were angry with the PSM arrests.

Sad to say, Najib again revealed his calibre when on Tuesday, it was suddenly announced that tim's up, the 6 will have to face charges too. After two years in power, Najib has become famous for this Jekyll and Hyde behaviour, where norms and ethics are frequently swept under the rug to fit his political image and plans.

PKR leaders have urged Najib not add "outrage upon outrage" and to apologize to the PSM-6 for taking up 28 days of their lives, and now turning around to slap further charges on them.

"The fact that the PSM 6 are being charged once again highlights the failure of key national institutions such as the police and prosecution bodies which are meant to act in the public interest," PKR vice president N Surendran had said in a statement.

"The charging of the PSM6 is done not in the public interest, but in the interest of the BN government. We demand that the planned charges against the PSM6 be dropped and that the Government apologises to the PSM6 for their unlawful and politically motivated detention under the EO."

- Malaysia Chronicle