Inspector-general of police Khalid Abu Bakar was making a crude joke when he claimed that national laureate Abdul Samad Said was hiding from the authorities.
Activist Hishamuddin Rais, who, together with A Samad, is also being investigated under the Sedition Act 1948, and for alleged mischief under the Penal Code, said it was impossible for the national laureate to hide.
“He does not possess ilmu ghaib(knowledge on making self disappear). Hence Pak Samad cannot hide. IGP Khalid (left) is making a crude joke in claiming Pak Samad is hiding,” he said, referring to how Samad is often affectionately called.
“Yesterday I read again that the IGP said he (Pak Samad) had sneaked back into his house. How can this be as he has to take an elevator to his house and open his house by using a key? It defies logic and not possible to say he sneaked.
“Hence, the IGP is joking again, but never mind,” he said.
While recognising the police’s right to arrest a person anywhere, Hishamuddin agreed with Bersih 2.0 co-chairperson Ambiga Sreenevasan's criticism of police action on Wednesday in arrestingPak Samad at 12.30am.
Activist Hishamuddin Rais, who, together with A Samad, is also being investigated under the Sedition Act 1948, and for alleged mischief under the Penal Code, said it was impossible for the national laureate to hide.
“He does not possess ilmu ghaib(knowledge on making self disappear). Hence Pak Samad cannot hide. IGP Khalid (left) is making a crude joke in claiming Pak Samad is hiding,” he said, referring to how Samad is often affectionately called.“Yesterday I read again that the IGP said he (Pak Samad) had sneaked back into his house. How can this be as he has to take an elevator to his house and open his house by using a key? It defies logic and not possible to say he sneaked.
“Hence, the IGP is joking again, but never mind,” he said.
While recognising the police’s right to arrest a person anywhere, Hishamuddin agreed with Bersih 2.0 co-chairperson Ambiga Sreenevasan's criticism of police action on Wednesday in arrestingPak Samad at 12.30am.
She had said that was not the proper way for authorities to treat an 81-year-old man.
This is because, Hishamuddin said, authorities knew Pak Samad's whereabouts and they were only conducting an investigation.
If they needed to interrogate him, he added, police could have called and requested him to come to the station.
“We are in a civil society. It is not like we are living in 1943 or 1944 in Germany. But unfortunately, this is happening in Kuala Lumpur and Malaysia.
“Such episodes would only spur the people’s hatred (of the government). From a peaceful period before Hari Raya, the situation is now tense,” he told Malaysiakini in an exclusive interview.
Before Pak Samad’s detention, authorities had first picked-upHishamuddin and student activist Adam Adli Abdul Halim over their alleged involvement in flying the Sang Saka Malaya flag during a Merdeka celebration at Dataran Merdeka last Friday.
Action taken against those with opposing views
Hishamuddin, a former journalist, film critique and blogger, said the action taken against Pak Samad, Adam Adli (righ, in photo) and him were because they shared different views from that held by the authorities.
“The police felt that if we are against the government's policy, then there is no need to respect us regardless if one is a national laureate or someone else. They do not respect anyone who possesses different views from them.
“They treated Pak Samad like that because he had opposing views and this is reflected in his literary works where they are seen as a threat. His tweets and poems are followed by thousands and this gives a picture that Malaysia has entered into a period of tension and tyranny,” he remarked.
Hence, Hishamuddin said that was why authorities responded harshly, with statements by Multimedia and Culture Minister Ahmad Shabery Cheek that the government is reviewing the possibility ofrevoking the national laureate title bestowed on Pak Samad.
However, Pak Samad responded to this, telling Malaysiakiniyesterday that he wouldn’t mind if authorities were to revoke his title, or even his citizenship.
As to what happened on Merdeka eve, Hishamuddin said he, together with Pak Samad and other activists, were there in solidarity with Himpunan Hijau leader Wong Tack who is camping there in a bid to get one million signatures against the Lynas rare earth plant in Gebeng in Pahang.
“I saw two or three Sang Saka (Malaya) flags being held by the youth and saw Pak Samad standing reciting poetry. Then, as featured in the video, a man seized several of the Sang Saka flags and ran into the sea of people that night.
“There were other Sang Saka flags still there. At the stroke of midnight, I gave a short speech and said that the Sang Saka is our flag,” he said.
This, he said, was followed by numerous reports and comments made over the flag the following Monday, leading to his and Adam Adli's arrests.
He said about five people, supposedly police personnel, came into the shop in Kampung Baru, where the duo were having dinner, and surrounded the table.
“We were escorted by three police cars and led to Dang Wangi (police station), which I find a joke,” he said.
This is because, Hishamuddin said, authorities knew Pak Samad's whereabouts and they were only conducting an investigation.
If they needed to interrogate him, he added, police could have called and requested him to come to the station.“We are in a civil society. It is not like we are living in 1943 or 1944 in Germany. But unfortunately, this is happening in Kuala Lumpur and Malaysia.
“Such episodes would only spur the people’s hatred (of the government). From a peaceful period before Hari Raya, the situation is now tense,” he told Malaysiakini in an exclusive interview.
Before Pak Samad’s detention, authorities had first picked-upHishamuddin and student activist Adam Adli Abdul Halim over their alleged involvement in flying the Sang Saka Malaya flag during a Merdeka celebration at Dataran Merdeka last Friday.
Action taken against those with opposing views
Hishamuddin, a former journalist, film critique and blogger, said the action taken against Pak Samad, Adam Adli (righ, in photo) and him were because they shared different views from that held by the authorities.“The police felt that if we are against the government's policy, then there is no need to respect us regardless if one is a national laureate or someone else. They do not respect anyone who possesses different views from them.
“They treated Pak Samad like that because he had opposing views and this is reflected in his literary works where they are seen as a threat. His tweets and poems are followed by thousands and this gives a picture that Malaysia has entered into a period of tension and tyranny,” he remarked.
Hence, Hishamuddin said that was why authorities responded harshly, with statements by Multimedia and Culture Minister Ahmad Shabery Cheek that the government is reviewing the possibility ofrevoking the national laureate title bestowed on Pak Samad.
However, Pak Samad responded to this, telling Malaysiakiniyesterday that he wouldn’t mind if authorities were to revoke his title, or even his citizenship.
As to what happened on Merdeka eve, Hishamuddin said he, together with Pak Samad and other activists, were there in solidarity with Himpunan Hijau leader Wong Tack who is camping there in a bid to get one million signatures against the Lynas rare earth plant in Gebeng in Pahang.“I saw two or three Sang Saka (Malaya) flags being held by the youth and saw Pak Samad standing reciting poetry. Then, as featured in the video, a man seized several of the Sang Saka flags and ran into the sea of people that night.
“There were other Sang Saka flags still there. At the stroke of midnight, I gave a short speech and said that the Sang Saka is our flag,” he said.
This, he said, was followed by numerous reports and comments made over the flag the following Monday, leading to his and Adam Adli's arrests.
He said about five people, supposedly police personnel, came into the shop in Kampung Baru, where the duo were having dinner, and surrounded the table.
“We were escorted by three police cars and led to Dang Wangi (police station), which I find a joke,” he said.
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