COMMENT | Police overzealous in arresting two Urimai activists

COMMENT | PSM is shocked over the arrest of two United for the Rights of Malaysians Party (Urimai) leaders Gunasekaran Kuppan, 54, and Sunthrraju Kuppusamy, 57, on Thursday merely for questioning the Selangor government’s allocation for the Indian community.

I found out about the arrest after Selangor exco V Papparaidu lodged a police report. In no way did it warrant an arrest.

I have also watched the TikTok video, and believe it was not offensive at all.

Gunasekaran asked two Selangor exco members about the allocation for the Indian community under the iSeed and Sitham schemes. A simple explanation from the exco or the menteri besar would have sufficed in dealing with such a public inquiry.

The duo was arrested under Section 14 of the Minor Offences Act, Section 509 of the Penal Code, and Section 233 of the MCMC Act.

All the allegations are too basic and too frivolous to warrant the police to arrest and seek a remand. The police tried to get a three-day remand but were only granted one day.

The use of Section 509 seems to be a new method of dealing with dissenting voices.

Section 509 states that whoever, intending to insult the modesty of any person, utters any word, makes any sound or gesture, or exhibits any object, intending that such word or sound shall be heard, or that such gesture or object shall be seen by such person, or intrudes upon the privacy of such person, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to five years or with fine or with both.

Probe the arrest

How can questioning and seeking clarification from an exco result in such laws being used to arrest the duo? Whose modesty and privacy have been abused? If government representatives hide behind such laws, then how can the public raise issues of accountability?

The police could have just recorded the statement from the duo. The exco members could have taken a personal civil case against their political opponent rather than using the police to settle political scores.

PSM calls upon an Independent Police Conduct Commission and Suhakam to investigate the arrest. If this blatant high-handedness is not addressed, then we are truly leading towards an authoritarian state.

It is time for the Madani government to make clear on how they are going to manage dissenting voices. There seems to be a growing attack on civil liberties recently and it needs to be checked.

S ARUTCHELVAN is PSM deputy chairperson.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.

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