Three Pakatan, NGO leaders nabbed in noon dragnet
PKR vice-president Tian Chua and Anything But Umno (ABU) chief Haris Ibrahim were arrested seperately this afternoon, believed to be in relation to a recent anti-electoral fraud forum in Kuala Lumpur.
PKR vice-president Tian Chua as well as Anything But Umno (ABU) chief Haris Ibrahim, were arrested seperately this afternoon, in relation to a recent anti-electoral fraud ceramah in Kuala Lumpur.
They were later joined by former Batu Berendam MP and PAS member Tamrin Ghafar (
right
), who also spoke at the forum, after he, too, was arrested by the police in Bangsar this afternoon.
All three were taken to the Jinjang police station.
At a press conference later, Kuala Lumpur CPO Mohmad Salleh confirmed the trio’s arrest under Section 4(1) of the Sedition Act.
This is in relation to speeches that they have made during the talk at the Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall (KLSCAH) on May 13.
Tian Chua, via Twitter , said he was taken at the low-cost carrier terminal (LCCT) in Kuala Lumpur, just as he was about to pass a security check point.
He was catching a flight to Kuala Terengganu for the 'Blackout 505 rally' scheduled to be held there tonight.
The Batu MP claimed that he was informed he was being detained under Section 4(1) of the Sedition Act 1948.
Meanwhile, according to PSM secretary-general S Arulchelvan (
right, in photo
), Haris (
centre
) was picked up by five policemen as he was lunching with friends in Segambut, including Saya Anak Bangsa Malaysia’s (SABM) Jayanath Appudurai.
Jayanath told Malaysiakini that the group was approached about noon by five police personnel.
“I overheard them saying something about the Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall (KLSCAH) and Section 4(1) of the Sedition Act.
“I believe the arrest was on the same grounds as that of Adam Adli Abdul Halim,” Jayanath said.
Haris was one of the speakers at the post-electoral
forum
, organised by Suara Anak Muda Malaysia (SAMM) that was held at KLSCAH on May 13.
It was during this forum that 23-year-old student activist Adam ( left in photo ) made an allegedly seditious speech for which he arrested last Saturday and charged in court this morning.
In fact, Haris, who is also a lawyer, was present in court earlier today to show support for Adam.
Lawyer Malik Imtiaz Sarwar, who is at the police station, confirmed the arrest of Tamrin, who is the son of former Deputy Prime Minister the late Ghafar Baba.
"He is in front of me now," said Malik Imtiaz.
Meanwhile, Solidariti Anak Muda Malaysia (SAMM) chief Badrul Hisham Shaharin, better known as Chegubard, tweeted that a team of police officers had been to his mother’s home in Seremban, looking for him.
The prominent blogger - who is also a PKR grassroots leader - had been a speaker at the forum, as well as being its organiser.
When asked if all of the speakers at the forum would be arrested, Kuala Lumpur’s top cop remained coy in his response.
“We will look at how the investigations go and see,” Mohmad said.
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