Anak Mamak disrupts press meet, rains abuses

'Go back to your country if you want to complain' were among the abuses that rained down on civil society members.

GEORGE TOWN: Several members from the unregistered Suara Anak-Anak Mamak Pulau Pinang disrupted a Bersih-related press conference and hurled abuses against members of a coalition of civil society here today.

Led by its chief Mohamed Ghani Abd Jiman, they hurled abuses against the civil society coalition members, including former state executive councillor Toh Kin Woon.

While Toh was speaking to reporters near the state police headquarters this afternoon, the group, among others, shouted “Go back to your country if you want to complain”, “Don’t eat shit eat rice”, “You seem old and about to die, go home” and “We are here to protect the law and order, and sovereignty of the country”.

Earlier, Toh led some 10 civil society members to submit a memorandum to state police chief Ayub Yaakob. The memorandum was received by Ayub’s representative ASP M Selvi.

Although Ghani and his gang were hurling abuses against Toh and the others in front of the police headquarters, police personnel just watched the commotion for most of the time.

George Town police chief ACP Gan Kong Meng, who was present, later intervened and told both Ghani and Toh as well as the rest to leave the place.

As Toh proceeded to continue his press conference outside the nearby Mydin Supermarket, Ghani and his gang again hurled abuses.

Earlier, Ghani and his group scared off a Bersih 2.0 female activist while she was distributing copies of the memorandum to newsmen. The female activist hurriedly left the place fearing for her safety.

This is the second time within 12 hours that rowdy groups had disrupted a Bersih gathering.

Last night, PSM members faced a similar situation with a huge group of rowdy youths outside the northern Seberang Perai police headquarters.

PSM submits memorandum

This morning, PSM secretary-general S Arutchelvan led a party delegation to hand over a separate memorandum to the state police chief.

Both memorandums touched on the detention of 30 PSM activists on Saturday while they were travelling in a tour bus along the North-South Expressway.

The memorandums contained complaints of poor condition of police lock-ups, harassment of detainees, lack of water supply and medical treatment.

The memorandums also called on the police to release the detainees at least on police bail.