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Four PKR leaders summoned to meet police over "Black 14" rally |
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Posted by admin
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Wednesday, 16 April 2008 08:29 |
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by Giam Say Khoon and Charles Ramendran (The Sun) PETALING JAYA (April 15): Four Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) leaders were today summoned by police in connection with the "Black 14" rally held on Monday night to celebrate the end of a five year ban on PKR adviser Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim from being actively involved in politics.
PKR deputy president Dr Syed Husin Ali said party president Datin Seri Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, vice-president Azmin Ali, Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim who is secretary general and Khalid's personal assistant Yahya Sahri who were told to present themselves at Dang Wangi police station at 3pm today.
"Several police officers were in front of their homes as early as 6am to deliver the summons. It is believed they want to investigate the gathering on Monday night and it appears there is a police report on the said gathering," he told a press conference today.
Syed Husin said the party protests the police action against the four leaders who will only go to the police after receiving a copy of the police report.
PKR legal adviser Latheefah Koya, representing the four PKR leaders handed a letter to the investigating officer at 12.30pm today, saying they were unable to turn up at the police station due to their busy schedules and until the request for the report is met.
Reporters staked out the police station but until 3.30pm, none of the four showed up.
"We consider the police action against PRK leaders as an act of intimidation and provocation. The police seemed to act so speedily on this matter whereas they are known to have dragged their feet on reports that have been made by us and other matters," said Syed Husin.
He alleged that the police action was mala fide (in bad faith) as a meeting was held between the police and Yahya, who represented the organisers before the event and no permit was required by the police. He added that written clarification was also given to police on the programme.
"The legal status of the gathering was never raised; not during the discussion nor in the correspondence that followed. The gathering was on private property," he said, adding that the gathering went on peacefully and in a controlled manner.
"It was declared over after a police officer requested Anwar to terminate his speech. There was no protest from the gathering, the organisers or Anwar himself. It ended peacefully and orderly at 10.30pm."
On Monday night, Kuala Lumpur police chief DCP Datuk Mohd Sabtu Osman told the Press police may act on the organisers of the gathering as they had swayed from the programme they had given to police.
"There was no dinner function as claimed by them except maybe for a handful of them. Although it was done on private grounds, it was still acessible and open to public. As such, a police permit is required but they never did apply for one. We will examine facts and decide then if action should be taken on them." he said.
Wan Azizah, who was also present at the press conference today, said the summons ordered her to facilitate the investigation as a witness.
"The complaint now being investigated is under Section 27(5) of the Police Act and Section 149 of the Penal Code. If I refuse to obey the notice, a warrant of arrest will be issued under Section 111 (2) of the Criminal Procedure Code," she said, adding that Anwar was not summoned and he had left for Abu Dhabi to meet investors.
Kuala Lumpur CID chief SAC II Ku Chin Wah said the four did not turn up and had appealed for more time. He said police are giving them until 3pm tomorrow, adding that if they fail to appear to have their statements recorded, warrants of arrest against them will be sought.
It is learnt that though police expect all of them to be present tomorrow, Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim may be given more time to do so due to his busy schedule in managing tate's affairs.
Meanwhile, when asked for comment, Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar said he would leave it to the police to handle it.
"I do not get involved in this thing. If I get into this, people will say that we are politicising it. So I'll not get involved and leave it to the police to act in accordance to the law."
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The Blogs 
Sad nation, with sad laws, and sad enforcer.
Dont the police hope for a change as well???