All 27 Jerit teenage riders freed

Twenty-seven 'Ride for Change' campaign under-aged activists, who were held at the Rawang police station yesterday, were released at 2pm today.

As the teenagers walked out along with their adult guardians who came to fetch them, they were greeted with wild cheers by some 30 supporters who have been waiting outside the police station.

Yesterday, the grassroots coalition Jaringan Rakyat Tertindas (Jerit) team from the northern states of Kedah, Penang and Perak had cycled from Serendah in Selangor to Rawang only to be arrested and detained for illegal procession.

According to police, the team comprising 29 adults and 27 teenagers were taken to the police station at around 5pm because the organisers failed to get a permit to peddle through Rawang town.

The police also accused the organisers of exploiting the under-aged cyclists - many of whom are below 18 years old - and they were investigated under section 27 of the Police Act as well as Section 32(b) of the Child Act.

Among those arrested are Rawang state assemblyperson Gan Pei Nie ( photo, below right ) and Sungai Siput member of parliament Dr D Jeyakumar.

Although most of the 29 adults were released on police bail at 3am this morning, the police refused to allow those under the age of 18 to leave the station and instead handed the teenagers over to Welfare Department officers.

The police have insisted that the parents of the teenage riders to come to the station to pick up their kids.

A check with the police revealed that the Gombak district welfare office was unable to accommodated the 27 teenage riders and they were instead housed for the night under the observation of the welfare officers in the upper unit of the police station.

North and south, plenty of harassment

Jerit's novel cycling expedition begun on Dec 3 with two teams of cyclists from Kedah and Johor, riding to raise public awareness of issues such as food shortage, environmental problems, draconian laws and the impending economic crisis.

The riders are scheduled to reach Kuala Lumpur on Thursday to submit a memorandum to Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim in Parliament House.

The team from the south also faced harassment yesterday when the cops had insisted on escorting the riders from privately-owned Bangi Lama estate to the Kajang police headquarters for questioning.

However, after intervention from several human rights lawyers, the police allowed the team to continue their journey. Nevertheless, they monitored the tour by following the riders all the way to Kajang.

Selangor campaign coordinator A Sivarajan ( right ) told reporters that they might scale down their movement following continuous obstacles placed by the police as there are only two more days for their final leg.

However, he said tomorrow's itinerary where both the teams would come together to meet Selangor Mentri Besar Khalid Ibrahim would go ahead albeit in “a smaller delegation”.

Activists angered by ‘too young’ remark

Fifteen-year-old cyclist S Thivyakumar ( right ) lambasted the cops for thinking that the teenagers were “too young” to take care of themselves and join Jerit's campaign.

“They keep asking us whether we know why we are here... of course we do!” he exclaimed.

“We are here to fight for a better life... and we are not young children that every time we want to go to the toilet, one of them has to accompany us,” he said.

Moreover, Thivyakumar said that all 27 of them were packed together in a small room and given only mats to sleep on last night.

Cyclist M Ravindran similarly stated that they were well-aware of the objectives of the campaign.

“They think we are children and we do not know what is going on... but we grew up seeing how our parents struggle - how can we not know about it,” said the 17-year-old Ravindran.

The riders also claimed that the police did not care when they got wet during heavy rain yesterday.

According to them, the area where they were incarcerated - before they were moved into the police station later in the night - had began flooding due to the downpour.

“We ran out as it started flooding but the police and the FRUs forced us back in there,” said 16-year-old Danny.

“They then put a yellow tape around the area to keep us in,” said Danny.

Parents upset with the cops

The situation almost got out of hand at noon today when the parents came to the station to pick up their children.

The authorities had chained the front gates leading to police station and forced the parents to wait outside until their names were called.

Unhappy with this, the parents furiously shouted at the cops, leading to a team of riot police to assemble at the gates.

“Let us in... what did our children do? They did not steal or rob anybody... let us in,” they shouted.

But after as series of negotiations, the parents were escorted by Welfare Department officials into the station to meet their kids.

Although Selangor police chief Khalid Abu Bakar had decided to hand the teenage riders over to the Welfare Department, the police insisted on taking their parents’ statements.

A father, V Devanayagam, 53, who was first to arrive at the station this morning to meet his 16-year-old daughter Dinehshinee, said the Welfare Department officers had advised him to withdraw her from the campaign.

“They first asked me if I knew who was taking my children and that the organisers could be kidnappers,” said a clearly alarmed Devanayagam.

“The officers said this could affect her future as the campaign had no permit and this is a crime,” he said, adding that he decided to take Dinehshinee back to Perak.

Dinehshinee, who was upset by her father’s decision, began to cry.

She had insisted on completing the final leg of the campaign with the rest of her team. Dinehshiee was the only girl amongst the 27 who spent the night at the police station.

‘My boys will complete their journey’

Another parent, 45-year-old M Ravichandran vowed that his boys would finish the journey.

“My 15-year-old and 14-year-old sons are both here and I did not expect this to happen, but I believe this cannot be any worse... we are asking for our rights as citizens of this country,” said Ravichandran ( right ), who is a manufacturing executive in Sungai Siput.

“This is a good peaceful fight... and we will go on with it till the end,” he said.

Other parents echoes Ravichandran’s views, stressing that they had allowed their children to join the campaign and had given their full blessing.

“Since it is the school holidays, taking part of this (campaign) is so much better than loitering and lazing around,” said A Pushpa, who had come to get her 15-year-old nephew.

“Our demands are important and it is not something only us who would enjoy (the fruits of the campaign),” said another parent, S Munusamy ( right ).

He added that his 17-year-old son and the other children “were campaigning for the betterment of every Malaysian”.

The concerned father reiterated that he would support his son until they reach their final destination at the Parliament House on Thursday.