Police have decided not to apply for a remand extension for seven activists detained after demonstrating against an enhanced movement control order (MCO) in Kampung Muhibbah Raya, Tawau, Sabah on Saturday.
Their lawyer Raymond Guok told Malaysiakini that he was informed of the development at the Tawau court this morning.
"The court has confirmed to me just now that the police decided not to extend the remand. As such, the suspects will be released today," he said.
Guok added that he hoped the seven individuals would continue to cooperate with the police during the investigation.
He believed the magistrate had taken into account the right of personal liberty under Article 5 of the Federal Constitution and the public interest when granting a short remand.
The seven individuals, aged between 27 and 31, were remanded for two days to facilitate investigations into the obstruction of civil servants from discharging their duties, violating the Covid-19 preventive standard operating procedure and holding an assembly without a permit.
The protest came after the government announced the extension of Kampung Muhibbah Raya's enhanced MCO for another 14 days, from April 25 until May 8.
The activists had complained that with the restriction, the villagers who depend on daily wages could not fend for themselves particularly without proper assistance from the government.
Tawau MP Christina Liew said yesterday that she was in the process of preparing 2,000 packs of food aid for her constituents, but it would only be distributed in one or two weeks.
Meanwhile, Twitter user @demokrat_my today uploaded a media release from the Tawau municipal council president Arnold Joibi stating that it had distributed 8,572 food packs to affected villagers yesterday. - Mkini
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