Report lodged over alleged abuse of power in arrest of activist who recorded cops

 

Activist Ng Yap Hwa has lodged a report on alleged abuse of power by the police in the arrest and detention of former student leader Wong Yan Ke, who was detained for recording a video of police carrying out a raid.

Ng (photo, above) lodged the report last night at the Petaling Police Station at Jalan Klang Lama. Earlier, he had called Wong's detention a total abuse of power by the police.

"Video recording on the police who carry out their duty cannot be deemed as obstructing their duties," said Ng, who represents the National Human Rights Network (JHAM) and Teoh Beng Hock Trust for Democracy.

Ng had also questioned the necessity of handcuffing Wong as he was not a serious offender, saying that the issue was not just about Wong's arrest but the fundamental liberty of Malaysians.

Wong, who is the former president of the UM Association of New Youth (Umany), was arrested last Saturday, while police were carrying out a raid on his successor, Yap Wen Qing, in Petaling Jaya.

Several men in plainclothes, also believed to be police, then demanded that Wong (on right in the photo above) stops his recording, after which the video feed he was streaming to Facebook ended abruptly.

He was then arrested under Section 186 of the Penal Code and released under police bail. The provision concerns the obstruction of a public servant in discharging his or her public functions.

The police are currently investigating the student group under the Sedition Act 1948 and Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998.

This is over the group’s statement on Oct 30 questioning the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s decision not to make a proclamation of emergency despite the cabinet’s recommendations.

Wong's arrest has also been criticised by groups such as Transparency International-Malaysia and Bersih 2.0, which also accused the police of bias in its investigations, as Senate President Rais Yatim had also raised questions over the Agong’s exercise of his powers in a Twitter post on Oct 26.

Both Rais and Umany had noted that under Article 40 of the Federal Constitution, the king must act in accordance with the cabinet’s advice, except on three matters: the appointment of the prime minister, in refusing a request to dissolve the Parliament and in convening a meeting among the Malay rulers. - Mkini