Supporters of Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan and several others arrested after taking part in an anti-GST rally on Workers Day at the Dang Wangi police station today. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Seth Akmal, May 2, 2015.
The National Human Rights Society (Hakam) is appalled that its president, Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan, and several others were arrested over the Workers Day rally and held overnight, calling it a blatant abuse of police power.
In a strongly worded statement, the movement said Ambiga's participation in the rally – which was not an unlawful assembly – was an exercise of her right to freedom of expression as enshrined in the Federal Constitution.
Hakam secretary-general Robyn Choi said police were expected to seek further remand on Ambiga and fellow detainees Parti Sosialis Malaysia secretary-general S. Arutchelvan and DAP's Anthony Loke.
Choi said there was no justification or necessity to detain them after taking their statements, adding that the act reeked of intimidation and harassment against government dissidents.
"Hakam views the arrests and detentions, including any applications for a further remand a blatant abuse of police powers.
"Datuk Ambiga, Arulchelvam and Anthony Loke had at all times been cooperative with the police in their investigations and obliged them by turning up at the police station as required – all three of them had given their statements even though they were made to wait for more than three hours before the police started their questioning," Choi added.
She said police investigative powers to detain should only be used against individuals when there was a threat of flight risk or tampering with police investigations and evidence.
She said in carrying out their duties, the police were bound to respect the rule of law as well as protect the constitutional rights of all Malaysians.
"Hakam is constrained, therefore, to view these detentions as acts of intimidation and harassment, and a continuing practice against any government dissidents.
"This deplorable practice of unjustified detention and remands of activists must stop," she added.
Police, said Choi, should act professionally in a manner befitting their title as the Royal Malaysian Police.
She also urged the police to protect the rights of minors arrested for participating in the rally yesterday.
"The use of police investigative powers to intimidate or harass must stop.
"These rights are not to be violated by the very people who have vowed to protect and uphold the constitution."
Meanwhile, Twitter users expressed disappointment over the arrest of civil society leaders, with Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs chief executive Wan Saiful Wan Jan posting on the social media site: "Despicable rise of the police state."
Another Twitter user using the handle @Burhanudeen said: @AmnestyMy @shaminiamnesty @arul_psm @anthonyloke why this action upon people's rep and society leaders..remember they are citizens too.”
Civil society group Jaringan Rakyat Tertindas (Jerit) also condemned the arrests, saying police were punishing activists who were asking for a more democratic nation.
"The IGP is being malicious with these arrests," said E. Parameswary, coordinator of Jerit's May 1 committee.
Arutchelvan as well as PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu had met the Dang Wangi police prior to the Workers Day rally on April 24 to inform them of plans and the police had given an assurance that they would cooperate with the organisers, Parameswary said.
"So what are the arrests for? May 1 is International Labour Day… celebrated by the whole world and is a gazetted public holiday by the Malaysian government.
"All Malaysians have the right to celebrate it," Parameswary added.
Besides opposing the GST, the rally was also meant to let citizens express their views on other issues, such as a higher minimum wage, women's rights, and against the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA). Expressing views on all these issues was part of the right to freedom of expression which was protected by the Federal Constitution, Parameswary said.
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