The court case of former Penang Suaram coordinator Lau Shu Shi was postponed to December, as the prosecution needed to study a recent memorandum submitted to the attorney-general’s chambers by the human rights organisation.

Magistrate Noraini Othman Yusof fixed Dec 27 and 28 for the case to heard.

NONE According to Lau’s lawyer Karen Lai, DPP Selva Ranjini asked for the postponement as the team needed to review the documents which Suaram had sent to the AG’s chambers on Oct 11, detailing the reasons why charges against Lau should be dropped.

Lai said Lau’s ( right ) legal defence team, which includes lawyers V Parthiban, Sukhinder Bal Singh and Ong Chin Wen, had nothing to do with the memorandum.

She also said that the case was postponed as the prosecution team did not produce the evidence to prove that Lau had indeed committed the ‘disorderly’ act towards the police at the Jalan Pattani Police Station on May 11, 2008.

“Previously, the DPP gave us still photographs. We asked for good (or clear) copies or the CCTV recording,” Lai told Malaysiakini .

“After two weeks (of receiving our request), the investigating officer replied and told us the CD recorder had a virus in it. This is ridiculous,” she added.

It is learnt that when the court heard about the ‘virus’, the audience broke into laughter.

 

In August, Lau was charged with disorderly conduct in a police station under section 90 of the Police Act.

The 1967 Act states that ‘any person who, in a police station, behaves in a riotous, indecent, disorderly or insulting manner, shall be guilty of an offence under this Act’.

If found guilty, Lau faces a maximum fine of RM500 or imprisonment for six months or both.

Lau, who is currently working with Awam, a women’s group in Kuala Lumpur, was charged after she allegedly failed to attend court at the end of May after police issued a warrant of arrest for her alleged ‘rude behaviour’.

Lau, 25, however, said she did not receive the warrant although investigating officer sergeant Yusof Harun had contacted her about it.

‘Spotted during anti-ISA protest’

She was spotted by the police when she joined anti-ISA protestors for a vigil outside the Jelutong police station on Aug 2 where three activists and a lawyer were held after they were arrested at the Penang Speakers Square.

Meanwhile, the warrant of arrest for Lau issued in June stated that the incident happened in front of the information counter at the Jalan Pattani police station.

She was taken to the police station for participating in a rally organised by Indian rights group Hindraf at Gurney Plaza.

When contacted, Lau said she will continue to fight her case as she felt the charge against her was not justified.

She expressed no qualms about having to return to Penang for the case although she works in Kuala Lumpur.

“Either going for trial or putting pressure on the authorities to drop the charges are all part of the movement to fight for justice, so we shall continue,” she said.

Penang Suaram coordinator Ong Jin Cheng said about 30 people - comprising activists from social reform movement Aliran, civil society groups Sembang-Sembang Forum, members of Parti Sosialis Malaysia, and several law students were in court to show their support for Lau.