Dozens of activists gathered in front of the Brickfields police headquarters today in solidarity with their comrades and other individuals who were called in for questioning over last week's #TangkapAzamBaki rally in Kuala Lumpur.
Speaking to Malaysiakini when met at the location, several of the gathering participants regarded the mass questioning exercise that has started early this week as a form of intimidation by the authority to deter future protests.
According to a member of the #TangkapAzamBaki rally organiser, police have so far summoned 80 individuals including ordinary public members whom they have identified as having participated in the Saturday protest.
Some 40 of them were ordered to come to the Brickfields police headquarters today.
"So far, nearly 80 students, activists, members of the public, and politicians have been called by police to be questioned about the TangkapAzamBaki rally.
"I think it is clearly intimidation to scare the public into not attending any rallies in the future.
"Because in the past, only organisers or certain politicians are called up. But this time, the police called up 50 members of the public who attended (the protest).
"It is our right in the constitution to join a protest, so the fact so many called here today is pure intimidation. It can cause panic among the people especially from attending future rallies," said Qyira Yusri from Undi18 movement.
The activist believed that what the authority was doing is unconstitutional, and hoped that there are lawyers who will mount a challenge against the intimidation.
"It is concerning because young people might not want to explore activism advocacy because just simply attending a protest they can get investigated by police," she added.
The solidarity gathering started about 3pm when between 30 and 50 people assembled to show their support for those who arrived at the district police headquarters to meet with investigators to give their statements.
Among those called were several people's representatives, including Young Syefura Othman, Teresa Kok, Lim Yi Wei and Rajiv Rishyakaran.
Show of solidarity
Rifqi Faisal, the founder of the education reform organisation called Myermovement, also believed that the activists and protesters should have not been the subject of the police investigation.
"Many of my friends including members of Myermovement were summoned by police, so I am here today to show my solidarity with them
"A lot of intimidation for activists who are merely standing up for their rights.
"Which is unfair when it comes to treating activists especially youths who went out only to stand up for their rights.
"(Allowing protest) is good for democracy, because when people are able to speak up about their rights, this is good for democracy. What is not good for democracy is challenging activists and keeping them in IPD," he said.
'Probe unnecessary, but we will cooperate'
A young political leader from Muda party also gave a similar view where he regarded that the investigation being carried out against those involved in the protest, including several members of the party, was unnecessary.
However, according to Ahmad Zarul Afiq, they will give their full cooperation to the authority.
"We came here today to show solidarity to our leaders who were summoned by police.
"Three leaders from Muda are inside the police station now to have their statement recorded.
"We want to stress that they should not have been subjects of investigation in the first place, but we understand that the cops are just doing their job and we will give our full cooperation," said Zarul, who is Pahang Muda deputy chief.
His comrade Muhammad Hafy from Bukit Bintang Muda division said they believe what police did was a "great miscarriage of justice".
"What we believe here is that they should not be intimidated. They were only practising their constitutional right to assemble, to protest.
"We believe this is a great miscarriage of authority, and we demand justice on behalf of our friends, our leaders
"We believe this (probe) should not have happened."
Meanwhile, Young Syefura Othman, who is a member of the Pahang state legislative assembly from DAP, questioned why MACC chief Azam Baki, who is the subject of their protest last week, has not been called to answer about allegations against him.
"This is why we say our institution has been corrupted, because of the people on top.
"We hope the rakyat will realise what is happening here."
Seputeh MP Teresa Kok said she did not know whether Azam has been called by police or not when throngs of those who protested against the anti-graft officer had been summoned for questioning.
"Actually I and Khairuddin (Abu Hassan) did not even participate in the rally, we only watched the protest.
Action against Azam Baki
"We want to praise the police for their efficiency in carrying out their duty to investigate us.
"If the same efficiency can be extended in Azam's case, I believe we wouldn't have needed any protest rally in the first place," she told reporters before going into the police station.
On Jan 22, hundreds of protesters took it to the street in Kuala Lumpur to urge the government to take action against Azam, who has been implicated in allegations of wrongdoings including a scandal involving over two million units of shares which he owned in 2015. - Mkini
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