DAP said today that it will not let up on its "No to 929" campaign to protest Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad's declaration that Malaysia is an Islamic state despite police harassment and arrests.

Police arrested six party leaders at the Pandamaram new village market in Klang yesterday morning for distributing leaflets and selling campaign booklets to the public.

DAP national publicity secretary Ronnie Liu was among those arrested at about 10am. He was detained for over an hour at the Pandamaram police station before being released.

He said the party's campaign in Selangor would continue next week despite the arrest threats. This is the fourth arrest the party had faced for distributing the leaflets in public.

"We are going back to the Pandamaram market next Sunday at the same time. We will be there from 9am. We will start in Petaling Jaya after that," he said when contacted today.

Arrested for fun

"They arrested us as if for fun. We were not charged but had to give short statements.

I told them my party position, where I worked and stayed. They also asked me about my family but I refused to answer [those questions]. My interview lasted for less than five minutes," he said.

He said police also confiscated some 50 leaflets and 40 booklets belonging to the party.

Klang police were unavailable for comment.

Meanwhile, DAP chairperson Lim Kit Siang said he would call on Inspector-General of Police Norian Mai to find out the reasons for "repeated police harassment of DAP's campaign".

"Norian should tell the DAP and Malaysians what the police meant by their fourth arrest in connection with the campaign when in three previous arrests, no charges under the Sedition Act 1948 had been made against anyone," he said in a press statement.

Lim was among those rounded up in the first bout of arrest by police for distributing leaflets alleged to be seditious at an Ipoh market in June.

IGP's explanation sought

Since then police have made similar arrests of DAP leaders, including Batu Gajah MP Fong Po Kuan, for distributing the "No to 929"leaflets in Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan, and Bentong, Pahang.

No charges have been made against any of those arrested to date.

"Norian Mai should explain whether the police is committed to defending the fundamental principle that Malaysia is a democratic, secular and multi-religious nation with Islam as the official religion, or is the Royal Malaysian Police Force now opposed to the Federal Constitution," said Lim.

The party chairperson also called on Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) to make clear its stand on the "flagrant human rights violations" by the police in harassing the DAP.

DAP Perak chief Ngeh Hoo Kam had submitted a letter of complaint to Suhakam chairperson Abu Talib Othman following Lim's arrest and the police raid on DAP's Perak headquarters last June.