Cops question lawyer, media workers in mass gathering probes

 

Police have summoned at least one lawyer and over 20 media personnel for questioning to assist ongoing probes into two recent mass gatherings.

The Malaysian Bar confirmed police had questioned a member of the Bar Council’s monitoring team at the #Lawan protest last Saturday, which saw hundreds of protesters in Kuala Lumpur with a primary demand for Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s resignation.

Meanwhile, Chinese newspaper Sin Chew Daily reported that more than 20 media workers from various online and print publications were summoned in connection with Monday’s march to Parliament by more than 100 Opposition MPs who were prevented entry into the building.

Malaysiakini understands police had reached out to the media workers and reportedly called them in at the Kuala Lumpur Police Contingent headquarters, Dang Wangi district police station, and Sentul police station, for verification of their news reports and as witnesses to the incidents.

Their statements were recorded on top of a long list of MPs identified at the scene. Inspector-General of Police Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani previously said the police had received 206 reports over the gathering of MPs.

Separately, Malaysian Bar president AG Kalidas said lawyer Andrew Khoo was yesterday questioned at Dang Wangi district police station in connection with his observations at the #Lawan protest.

As part of its purpose to uphold the cause of justice, Kalidas said the Bar Council has deployed its monitoring teams to observe and monitor public rallies, ensuring that human rights and fundamental liberties are not abused and violated by the participants themselves, the authorities, the organisers, or any other parties.

“As is the Malaysian Bar’s standard practice, we wrote to the inspector-general of police on July 30, 2021 informing him of the presence of our monitoring team on that (#Lawan protest) day.

“The Malaysian Bar is therefore deeply disappointed that, despite this prior notification, the Royal Malaysian Police have nonetheless chosen to proceed to require one of the members of the Bar Council’s monitoring team on that day, Andrew Khoo, to present himself at the Dang Wangi District Police Headquarters on August 5, 2021 for questioning, pursuant to Section 111 of the Criminal Procedure Code,” said Kalidas.

He further cited the United Nations Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers, supported by the Malaysian government, which included guarantees that lawyers are able to perform all of their professional functions without intimidation, hindrance, harassment or improper interference.

The principles also stated that a government must guarantee lawyers are able to travel and to consult with their clients freely both within their own country and abroad; and shall not suffer, or be threatened with prosecution, administrative, economic or other sanctions for any action taken in accordance with recognised professional duties, standards and ethics.

Aside from Khoo, police had also requested assistance from media covering the #Lawan protest to identify various masked individuals caught on camera. - Mkini