Persatuan Anak Peneroka Felda Kebangsaan (Anak) chairperson Mazlan Aliman was released from police custody this afternoon, one day ahead of his initial expected release date.

“Mazlan was released at 12pm today since his arrest on March 21, 2018,” said his lawyer Wan Anwar Wan Ibrahim in a statement today.

Mazlan, who is also an Amanah supreme council member, had been arrested on Thursday and remanded for four days till March 25.

It was reported that he was arrested under Section 500 of the Penal Code and Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act (CMA) 1998.

Section 500 of the Penal Code deals with punishment for defamation while Section 233 of the CMA, among others, criminalises the use of the internet by a person to transmit any communication that is deemed to be offensive and could cause annoyance to another person.

“Yet, before he was released, he was once again questioned under the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012, believed to be about the same speech,” Wan Anwar (photo) said.

Mazlan’s arrest came after a police report was lodged by the lawyer of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak’s wife Rosmah Mansor.

The police report was lodged against a Youtube video where Mazlan had claimed in a speech about Rosmah’s involvement in projects planned and executed by Felda.

Her lawyer, NoorHajran Mohd Noor, had said that these allegations create a poor perception of her client among netizens.

Wan Anwar, in his capacity as Amanah legal bureau vice-chief, also condemned the police’s action in treating Mazlan like a “hardcore and dangerous criminal” by sending about 10 police officers to arrest him at 1.35am.

He pointed out that Mazlan is not a criminal and has never been convicted of any crime.

“Additionally, Mazlan himself has always cooperated well with the police every time his statement was needed for any case,” he said.

Right now it is unclear whether there will be any charges brought against Mazlan, but Wan Anwar said the legal bureau will monitor this case and defend Mazlan in court if need be.