Police arrested a PAS Youth leader at his house in the wee hours of this morning for being absent from a court hearing - and were forced to release him after finding out that the court made a mistake in issuing the arrest warrant.

Mohd Nasaie Ismail, a former PAS Youth information chief, was among the 79 protesters charged in court for taking part in an anti-goods and services tax (GST) rally in March.

He was present when the case against the protesters came up, which was held at the Sessions Court in Petaling Jaya on Tuesday.

However, the court issued an arrest warrant against Nasaie ( on the right ) on grounds that he was not present in court when the matter came up.

Nasaie was arrested at his house at 2.15am today and put in the lock-up of the Sea Park Police Station in Petaling Jaya.

He was released at 10.30am today, after the sessions judge revoked the arrest warrant against him.

'Courtroom was packed at the time'

"The fact is, my attendance wasn't recorded. The courtroom was packed at the time, as there were 79 accused in the case.

"How could they know for sure who attended the hearing today and who did not? This is because there are too many accused in this case.

"The judge then cancelled the warrant," Nasaie said when contacted by Malaysiakini .

He questioned the timing of the arrest at 2.15am today, since the warrant was issued as early as Tuesday.

His lawyer wasn't even informed about the issue of the arrest warrant, he said.

Nasaie also complained that the case had been adjourned on three occasions, upon request from the prosecution, with the proper trial yet to begin.

On March 23, police clamped down on the anti-GST rally held at the Federal Territories Customs Complex in Petaling Jaya and arrested 82 protesters.

Protest leader S Arutchelvan of Parti Socialis Malaysia, Badrul Hisham Shaharin of Solidariti Anak Muda Malaysia, DAP activist Young Syefura Othman, and Kuala Krai MP Dr Mohd Hatta Ramli were among those arrested.