I refer to the announcement by police that National laureate A Samad Said will be investigated for reading poetry near Dataran Merdeka on merdeka eve last night.The police decision to commence criminal proceedings against our national laureate is arbitrary, unconstitutional and a gross abuse of police powers.
In reading poetry in a public place, Samad Said was exercising his fundamental rights of freedom of speech and assembly under Article 10 of the Federal Constitution.
It is clear that Samad Said who is also Bersih co-chairperson is being targeted because of his consistent public criticism of the ruling UMNO-BN political coalition. Once again, UMNO-BN is using the police force as an instrument to suppress political dissent and intimidate civil society and the opposition.
It is shocking that for narrow political reasons, Najib and his government are prepared to harass and persecute Samad Said, who is an icon of Malay literature and a towering Malaysian.
What hypocrisy!
We also note that police have commenced criminal investigations upon the organisers of the peaceful Janji Demokrasi rally at Dataran Merdeka yesterday. This probe is clearly politically motivated and in breach of the rakyat's basic rights under Article 10 of the Federal Constitution.
It is a terrible irony that on Merdeka day, UMNO-BN is trampling upon the rights contained in the Federal Constitution, which is our nation's founding document and the supreme law of the land.
We call upon Prime Minister Najib to drop all criminal investigations against National laureate A Samad Said and the organisers of the Janji Demokrasi peaceful rally
N SURENDRAN IS VICE PRESIDENT OF PARTI KEADILAN RAKYAT
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