SOS (Save Ourselves) founder Ong Boon Keong, who was released this afternoon after his arrest last Friday for his campaign against repeal of the Rent Control Act, said he and his group had never resorted to violence as they believe in a peaceful approach to their problem.

"SOS members did not kick the chief minister's car," he told malaysiakini by telephone from Penang soon after his release, refuting media reports that SOS members had resorted to violence when they confronted Chief Minister Koh Tsu Koon last Friday.

A Sun report today quoted the Penang chief police officer Arthur Edmonds as saying that "SOS rioters blocked the official car (of the CM), draped it with a banner, and challenged the chief minister to get out of his car. They also started kicking and hitting the car."

Earlier, Ong and two other SOS members Ooi Chuan Seng and Leong Yuet Khau were released unconditionally on police bail although Ong and Ooi were yesterday ordered by a magistrate to be further remanded for another five days following their arrest last Friday. Leong presented himself to the police yesterday afternoon following an official request by the police.

Following his release, Ong told a press conference that they decided to meet Koh face to face because he had not replied to five letters which SOS sent to the state government on the Rent Control Act issue.

"At the end of March, many tenants will be evicted, so we have no choice but to urge for a dialogue with the state government," he told malaysiakini .

Ong stressed that three of them (who had been released from detention) have no background of involvement in political parties, as he himself is just an organic farm campaigner while Ooi became an SOS volunteer to help when one of his old relatives, without any children, was forced to be evicted.

Leong, who was arrested yesterday and released today, is a small noodle manufacturer, who faces an increase of rental from RM80 to RM400 for his premises.

Meanwhile, the Penang High Court will make a decision tomorrow on the application sent by lawyer S. Asamelay which challenged the validity of the remand order against Ong and Ooi yesterday.

According to Ong, SOS will send a six-pages memorandum to the federal government to address the issue of Rent Control Act, incorporating proposals to set up a tribunal and managing rental levels.

He hoped the Housing and Local Government Minister Ong Ka Ting will visit Penang to understand the seriousness of the issue which impacts the most on Penang of all the states.