Warrants of arrest had been issued against two parliamentarians and six others who were allegedly involved in a demonstration organised by the Coalition Against Inflation (Protes) in January.

protes demo 260108 Meanwhile, the police have charged two individuals who were also arrested at the protest, which was against price hikes.

The two - Mohd Zamhuri Abu Tahir and P Saravanan - claimed trial in the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court to the charge of illegal assembly, under Section 143 of the Penal Code.

They were also charged under Section 188 of the Penal Code for violating a court order barring Protes leaders and supporters from being within a 1km radius of Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC) and the nearby Masjid Assyakirin.

The arrest warrants were for PKR information chief Tian Chua (Batu MP), PAS treasurer Dr Mohd Hatta Ramli (Kuala Krai MP) and six others.

fuel hike police abuse memo at suhakam 310306 latheefa Lawyer Latheefa Koya said they are expected to face the same charges as Zamhuri and Saravanan once they report to the Dang Wangi district police station.

“Zamhuri and Saravanan were released on RM1,000 bail. The date on which the others will be charged has yet to be fixed,” she said when contacted.

The 10 were among 58 people arrested at the outset of the rally on Jan 26 near the KLCC, to protest the rising prices of fuel, goods and services.

The 10 had initially been freed after the Kuala Lumpur magistrate’s court denied police applications for remand orders. The court was said to have found contradictions and serious flaws in the investigating officers’ accounts of the arrests.

Chua, for example, was recorded as having been detained although he was outside the ‘exclusion zone’ specified in the court order.

Trial postponed

The scheduled trial of another 35 people, who have been similarly charged under Sections 143 and 188 of the Penal Code, was postponed this morning to Oct 13-15.

Sessions judge Mohamad Sekeri Mamat allowed the adjournment after Latheefa informed him that lead counsels Amer Hamzah Arshad and Mohamed Hanipa Maidin had to attend another court matter.

psm federal court pc 051006 nasir hashim She also said 12 of the defendants - including pro-tem Parti Sosialis Malaysia president Dr Mohd Nasir Hashim (left) , secretary-general S Arutchelvan and central committee member R Mohanarani - will have to attend a hearing in the Federal Court tomorrow on the status of their party.

A conviction under Section 188 is punishable with a maximum jail sentence of one month, a fine of up to RM400, or both. Those found guilty under Section 143 are liable to a maximum of six months’ imprisonment, a fine, or both.

Malaysiakini journalist Syed Jaymal Zahiid was charged with obstructing Chief Inspector Effendi Abdul Rahman from performing his duty when he questioned the police officer on the arrests of the protesters.

Twelve of those originally detained were released unconditionally.