Eight PKR members are frustrated with the police for not making a swift decision if they are to be charged in court for carrying a mock hearse during the Bukit Gantang by-election on April 7.

On that day, they were arrested for carrying a cardboard hearse with pictures of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and murdered Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu pasted around it.

Since then they have been instructed to report back to the Larut Matang police station twice, including today but without being told of whether charges will be laid against them.

bukit gantang amk pkr altantuya hearst 180409 The eight were first asked to report to the police on April 21, only to be told to return today.

Today, once again they had waited for hours without being told of their status in regards to the case.

Their lawyer P Ravee told Malaysiakini that the police had informed the eight to go back and that the police will deal directly with their lawyer on the matter.

"I will be officially writing to the police today asking them why there was a two-month delay in charging my clients in court and whether they are going to charge them in court.

"If there are no intentions to charge them, they should be freed," he said.

He also said that he will discuss with the eight on what legal steps they could take next, depending on the reply from the police.

On the day of the Bukit Gantang polling on April 7, the eight PKR members from various parts of the state and country had travelled to the constituency in two vehicles, of which one carried the dummy hearse.

They had alleged that they wanted to give moral support to the voters to come out and vote.

Out on police bail

However, while they were travelling in the Sungai Tinggi area in Trong, they were stopped at a police road block at 12.30pm and taken to the Padang Gajah police station and detained until 7.30pm.

They were subsequently released on a police bail of RM2,000 each.

bukit gantang amk pkr altantuya hearst 180409 The eight PKR members are Taufik Hakim Ismail, 28, Mohd Nizam Razak, 37, Naguib Mahfuz Ismail, 25, Mat Hasni Azmi, 28, Zafril Mohd Eusoff, 23, Abdul Khair Abdul Nasir, 24, Mohd Yusri Yaacob, 29, and Jol @ Jolhi Bee, 40.

The Bukit Gantang seat was won by PAS' Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin who is embroiled in a bitter tug of war with BN's Zambry Abd Kadir for the Perak menteri besar post.

The Altantuya issue was used by the opposition to discredit Najib following the killing of the Mongolian in November 2006.

Najib's close aide Abdul Razak Baginda was first charged with the murder but he was then acquitted by the court. Two other police officers have been found guilty of the crime.

The opposition has claimed that Najib had a hand in the killing, an accusation which was constantly rejected by the prime minister.