Three individuals arrested for bringing food to their detained compatriots during an aborted peace walk on May Day were told to return to court next week as police failed to charge them today.

Technician E Saravanan, 31, book store manager T Mohan, 36, and crane operator A Ramu, 36, were told that they were to be charged under Section 90 of the Police Act for disorderly conduct at the Dang Wangi police station.

However, the police later informed them to return on May 14 as the documents for their charges had not been prepared yet. The case was brought before Kuala Lumpur Magistrate Syafeera Mohd Said.

Appearing in court with 10 others to show support, Suaram coordinator S Arutchelvam said that it was a clear case of police harassment.

The police should just go ahead with the case and not give excuses. They were already with their defence, Arulchelvam said.

Lawyer for the three, Lateefah Koya, added that the case should have gone ahead without undue delay from the police.

The said offence occurred in front of the police, before the arresting officer as well as the investigating officer, so it is quite ridiculous, Lateefah said.

Reports against police

Last week, 17 labour activists were arrested after they tried to distribute pamphlets during a peace walk from Chow Kit to the Kuala Lumpur City Centre on May 1, a holiday set aside for workers all over the world.

A fellow activist later claimed that the 17 were held for seven hours without food, prompting the three to bring food to them, only to be detained by the police and held for a night.

Several reports had been lodged against the police for their handling of the peace walk.

Lawyer and PRM youth leader Latheefa Koya for the May Day detainees is among those who lodged a report on the behaviour of the police last Wednesday.

The arrest of the three food-bearing visitors bring the number of the May Day arrests to 20. Most were organisers of the peace walk and two women were among those arrested.

The police were also alleged to have manhandled several of the activists involved in the peace walk and were uncooperative when relatives enquired about their well being.

Among those held were Arutchelvam, 35; Parti Sosialis Malaysia pro tem president Dr Nasir Mohd Hashim, 56; Parti Sosialis Malaysia vice-president Dr D Jeyakumar, 46; Community Development Centre members V Selvam 41, and Seevan Doraisamy, 24.

The two women arrested were social activist Lee Siew Hwa, 33, and PSM member R Manorani, 46.

According to eyewitnesses, another activist, R Venggaut, 27, was physically harassed by police and immediately placed in a lock-up.