Umany sedition probe: Cops arrest ex-leader during house search

 

Police today arrested a former Universiti Malaya student leader while carrying out a house search as part of a sedition probe.

UM Association of New Youth (Umany) former president Wong Yan Ke (above) was detained after police reportedly turned up to search the house of his successor Yap Wen Qing in Petaling Jaya.

Yap had initially refused the police entry without a warrant.

Wong then did a Facebook live stream of an exchange he had with a police officer. He told them he was recording the video clip for court evidence.

Several men in plainclothes, also believed to be police, then demanded that Wong stop recording after which the video feed ended abruptly.

It is understood that Wong was then placed under arrest and brought to the Petaling Jaya district police headquarters for questioning.

Lawyer Chong Kar Yan, who was at the scene, said the arrest was for recording a video of the police officers.

Petaling Jaya police chief Nik Ezanee Mohd Faisal later told the media over WhatsApp that the arrest was for obstructing a public officer.

Following Wong's arrest, Yap, on the advice of his lawyer, allowed police to conduct a search of his home.

Umany political education head Liau Pin Chun later said the officers seized Yap's laptop and mobile phone.

The Umany president, together with vice-president Tan Li Yuan, is being investigated under Section 4(1) of the Sedition Act and Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act.

This is over an article regarding the role of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong after he rejected the government's bid for an emergency declaration and later advised all MPs to support the upcoming Budget 2021 proposal at the Dewan Rakyat.

Umany in its article argued that the king “should not interfere in national affairs, but to always maintain a neutral attitude and play his role within the framework permitted by the constitution”.

They said that under Article 40 of the Federal Constitution, the king must act in accordance with the cabinet’s advice except on three matters - the appointment of the prime minister, in dissolving Parliament and in convening a meeting between the Malay rulers. - Mkini