Police slammed for arresting protesting students
The police force has come under fire for arresting student demonstrators under Section 124B of the Penal Code.
Speaking to Malaysiakini , Lawyers For Liberty co-founder Eric Paulsen said Section 124B, which punishes activities detrimental to parliamentary democracy, is not meant to be used on students doing a sit-in outside Parliament.
The police force has come under fire for arresting student demonstrators under Section 124B of the Penal Code.
Speaking to Malaysiakini , Lawyers For Liberty co-founder Eric Paulsen said Section 124B, which punishes activities detrimental to parliamentary democracy, is not meant to be used on students doing a sit-in outside Parliament.
"It's supposed to be used against groups like Al-Maunah, which advocates armed struggle or violence. Certainly not for a group of students.
"The investigation under Section 124B is an exaggeration. It certainly does not bode well for the professionalism and impartiality of the police," Paulsen said.
A total of 17 people, nearly all of them university students, were arrested outside Parliament last night for refusing to leave the area.
They had vowed to continue their sit in until Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak resigns over the 1MDB scandal.
Sentul district police chief R Munusamy told them that forcing someone to resign through a street protest is illegal.
However, an irate law professor said otherwise when asked to comment on the arrests.
"To peacefully oppose a government is not a threat to parliamentary democracy. To object to poor governance is not threatening parliamentary democracy," Universiti Malaya professor Azmi Sharom told Malaysiakini .
"To want new leaders is not threatening parliamentary democracy. It is part and parcel of democracy. It is those who prevent such activities who are threatening parliamentary democracy.
"Perhaps someone should tell the police this," Azmi ( photo ) said.
While he condemned the arrest, Paulsen said the action by the police was not surprising.
"It's absolutely outrageous but I'm not surprised at all.
"We have a paranoid and irrational government that sees a threat from a group of students just sitting near Parliament," Paulsen added.
The arrest of the students comes just ahead of the mammoth Bersih 4 rally planned for this weekend.
To be held in Kuala Lumpur, Kuching, and Kota Kinabalu, the rally is to demand four things: 1. Clean elections; 2. Clean governance; 3. Saving the economy; and 4. Preserving the right to dissent.
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