Felda activist Mazlan arrested after Rosmah's police report

Persatuan Anak Peneroka Felda Kebangsaan (Anak) chairperson Mazlan Aliman has purportedly been arrested by the police in the early hours of this morning.

"I was arrested by the police at home at 1.35am tonight. Brought to Kulai police district headquarters," Mazlan, who is also an Amanah supreme council member, said in a brief posting on Facebook.

His wife added in a comment on the posting that the police informed them he was arrested under Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998.

The section, among others, criminalises the use of the internet by a person to transmit any communication that is deemed to be offensive and could cause annoyance to another person. 

Malaysiakini has attempted to contact the Kulai district police chief, as well as Mazlan's wife on the matter.

On Monday, a police report was lodged over a YouTube video where Mazlan allegedly accused Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's wife, Rosmah Mansor, of being involved in several projects which were planned and executed by Felda.

Rosmah's lawyer NoorHajran Mohd Noor, who filed the report at the Sentul district police headquarters, had said such allegations create a poor perception of Rosmah (photo) among netizens.

She also said it had tarnished her client's reputation and integrity.

"After discussing with my client, I was instructed to file a police report on the video.

"We will leave it to the police to conduct an investigation and take the appropriate action based on existing laws," she had said.

Mazlan had then said that he welcomed the investigations.

'Politically-motivated'

In a statement, Amanah Youth vice-chief Shazni Munir Mohd Ithnin questioned why the police had to arrest Mazlan at such an unreasonable hour.

“What big crime has this citizen activist done that it cannot wait until morning for him to be arrested?” he asked.

Expressing his disappointment at the police report lodged before Mazlan’s arrest, he said Amanah Youth believes the arrest was politically-motivated.

“(Amanah Youth) strongly condemns such an unreasonable action as this.

“Mazlan is fighting for the rights of Felda and its settlers,” he said, adding Amanah Youth would start a campaign to free Mazlan. -Mkini