Anti-ISA protesters arrested
By Patrick Lee, Free Malaysia Today
The police have arrested 25 people after cracking down on a candlelight vigil held here in protest of the security law.
Among those arrested were Anti-ISA movement president Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh, PKR supreme council member Badrul Hisham Saharin and Parti Sosialis Malaysia secretary-general S Arutchelvan.
Four more activists were arrested in Penang.
The protest, which took place in several locations, was held to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the law, which allows detention without trial.
In Petaling Jaya, anti-riot personnel moved in on some 200 protesters when they started singing the national anthem at 8pm.
The protesters were stopped from making their way to the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) field, as the police declared the gathering an illegal assembly.
When chased, the protesters fled into the nearby Amcorp Mall amid chants of “Hidup Rakyat” with the police in pursuit.
Following this, the protesters attempted to march to the Petaling Jaya Civic Centre but this was thwarted by the police, and the crowd retreated back into the mall.
Later, the crowd gathered outside the Petaling Jaya district police headquarters, where those arrested were taken, and sang the Negaraku and lit candles.
Once again the police moved in to disperse the protesters, who then sought refuge in nearby mamak stalls.
‘Violent and unacceptable’
The police’s action was condemned by several quarters, with a Bar Council’s Siti Kassim calling it “violent and unacceptable”.
Rights group Suaram director Kua Kia Soong was “disgusted”.
“This could have been a peaceful protest… it’s going to make Malaysia more of a police state,” he said, adding that it was the first time he had seen policemen storming a mall.
Kua said it was “shameful” that Malaysia still had laws like the ISA, but the police’s behaviour was even more embarrassing.
Human rights lawyer N Surendran told reporters that the “true face” of Malaysia was revealed tonight.
“Some of the lawyers have been denied entry (into the police headquarters), the police are being very difficult,” he added.
Wan Intan, who operates a stall in Amcorp Mall, also expressed disappointment with the police.
“The police should be taking care of the situation… it was dangerous for them to rush into the mall like that. We didn’t know that there was going to be a protest, the police should have informed us,” she said.
Related report: The Malaysian Insider: Police break up anti-ISA vigils, arrest 25 in PJ, 3 in Penang.
