13 held for distributing Anwar leaflets in Kelantan

Thirteen PKR members including its Kelantan information chief were picked up by the police yesterday evening for distributing leaflets on Anwar Ibrahim’s sodomy trial.

The leaflets provide a chronology of the Sodomy II trial and promoting the opposition leader’s scheduled ceramah in Machang next week.

Anwar is to give a talk at Machang on Jan 5 as part of his efforts to rally support ahead of the Kuala Lumpur High Court verdict on Jan 9.

Six of the 13 were detained at the Kuala Krai district police station after they were stopped during a police roadblock. Those detained include Kelantan PKR Youth chief Mohd Azihan Che Saman.

Meanwhile, the remaining seven, including Kelantan PKR information chief Roslan Puteh, were detained at the Tanah Merah district police station.

When contacted byMalaysiakini, Tanah Merah MP Amran Ab Ghani said the seven were arrested while they were distributing the leaflets at the Tanah Merah market.

“They are being investigated under section 4(b) of the Printing Presses and Publications Act. They were sent to the Tanah Merah district police station. I was there at the station to offer support,” he said.

18-stop nationwide tour

Mohd Azihan told Malaysiakini that he, along with five PKR members from Jeli and Gua Musang, were detained at a police checkpoint in Kuala Krai.

“We were detained at about 5.30pm for possession of the leaflets and the party’s flag. They seized all our paraphernalia.”

Their statements were recorded at the respective police stations.

Anwar will be making an 18-stop nationwide tour between Jan 3 and 8 before the Jan 9 court verdict to be delivered by justice Mohamad Zabidin Mohd Diah.

The Pakatan Rakyat leader will tour major towns in eight states - Johor, Malacca, Negri Sembilan, Pahang, Terengganu, Kelantan, Penang, Selangor - as well as Kuala Lumpur.