Selangor Exco Member Among Seven Detained In Illegal Rally
SHAH ALAM, July 17 (Bernama) — A Selangor Exco member was among seven people detained by police for their part in an illegal rally at Plaza Masalam here Friday.
Dr Xavier Jayakumar and Kapar Member of Parliament S.Manikavasagam were released at 5.30pm after police recorded statements from them, said lawyer Latheefa Koya.
Shah Alam police chief ACP Nor Azam Jamaluddin when contacted confirmed that seven people were detained under Section 27 of Police Act 1967 for their part in the rally.
The seven were detained at Shah Alam police headquarters in Section 11 here. They were released on police bail.
Dr Jayakumar claimed that as a government official, he was only directing the crowd to disperse and move to Dataran Kemerdekaan Shah Alam where they were allowed to gather by the Shah Alam City Council.
He hopes that the incident would not recur adding the state government was ready to cooperate with police.
Asked to comment, Manikavasagam said: "This is revenge by the Selangor CPO (Datuk Khalid Abu Bakar).
A crowd of 200 people gathered in front of Plaza Masalam to protest againt the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and show sympathy for the death of a Selangor Exco political secretary who was found dead yesterday.
Teoh Beng Hock, 30, was among witnesses called by Selangor MACC in its investigation into alleged abuse of government allocation.
The rally which began at 9am was attended by Opposition leaders Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (PKR adviser), Salahuddin Ayob (PAS vice president), Lim Kit Siang (DAP adviser), Lim Guan Eng (Penang Chief Minister) and Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim (Selangor Menteri Besar).
They went to Selangor MACC office at Plaza Masalam to send a memorandum against MACC which investigated Teoh before he was found dead.
The protest note was handed to Selangor MACC director Jaafar Mahad.
The crowd bearing white roses and banners shouted slogans demanding justice for Teoh's death peppered with speeches by Anwar, Kit Siang and Guan Eng.
At 10.30am, the Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) arrived in five trucks accompanied by a water canon and two Land Rovers to disperse the rally.
Shah Alam police chief Nor Azam then told Sekinchan state assemblyman Ng Suee Lim to stop speaking and disperse.
He also told PKR Youth chief Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin to disperse but he and the crowd refused to budge claiming it was a peaceful rally.
It was followed by some shoving between police and the crowd. Several people were later detained and taken into the Black Maria (police van).
The crowd dispersed after Opposition leaders started leaving the building at 11.30am.
