Pro-workers activists today demanded that the inspector-general of police come out with a public apology over what they claim was a wrongful and malicious charge of stealing against PSM secretary-general S Arutchelvan on Labour Day.

Representatives from the May 1 Committee, which organised a May Day rally in the city, said the police's conduct was unacceptable, as hardly a day later they allegedly admitted that they had mistakenly charged Arutchelvan for a case dating back to 1995.

Around 20 activists from political, labour and human rights groups assembled in front of the Bukit Aman police headquarters earlier this afternoon to present a memorandum, demanding a public apology over the wrongful charge and also for investigations to be opened on the officers involved in this alleged gaffe.

The memorandum also demanded that the police bail notice that requires Arutchelvan to report back to the police on May 7 be revoked, and that the police be more professional and ethical in carrying out their duties, especially when carrying out arrests.

jerit ride for change campaign shah alam event 171208 arutchelvan Arutchelvan ( left ), who was also present at the gathering, said the manner in which the police slapped the stealing case on him was "ridiculous".

"When I was told about the case, I thought my lawyers were joking. I did not know if it was related to any rally, as we all know I don't live in Alor Setar.

"Then they told me I was being charged under Section 280 (of the Penal Code) for kecurian di dalam bangunan atau perahu (theft in a building or boat)," he said, smirking.

Arutchelvan said there was much wheeling and dealing between the activists and the police to secure his release, claiming that the latter would only agree to let him go if an MP were to come over and post his bail.

"Luckily we had an MP among the 21 arrested that day," he said to chuckles, referring to PSM's sole parliamentarian Dr D Jayakumar.

Arrested over a 'typo'

Arutchelvan claimed, however, that the very next day when he contacted the Dang Wangi police station, the investigating officer told him that a mistake had bee detected when they ran his IC number through their database.

"They said they made a typo when checking my IC. My old IC had an A in front, and they did not include that when checking. They told me the suspect was a Malay man and apologised for the mistake.

"If the name was close, never mind, but this is a different ethnic (group)... so for 16 years they've been looking at the wrong person. It makes you wonder how accurate is their wanted list,"  he said.

Taking a more serious view of the issue, he said the police had acted in bad faith and questioned their insistence on detaining him over an allegedly fabricated charge even after he and his lawyers had clarified that he was in no way involved with the case.

"What were they trying to do? This is mala fide and it is a case of defamation against me... we want the police to give their apology in black and white," he said.

Earlier, the memorandum was received by a police public relations officer, identified as one ASP Rodiah, on behalf of IGP Ismail Omar.

On May 1, a total of 21 people were detained for several hours after police cracked down on a Labour Day rally. The rally was supposed to have been a march in solidarity for workers calling for a minimum wage law.

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