Penang Watch

Detained after she gave statement -for what?

The police who arrested Cheng after she finished giving statement has failed to extend her detentionfrom the Magistrate-thus Cheng is expected to be released sometime today. This detention is under a different section of ISA where the detainee need to be charged. It is good that there is a magistrate who can refuse to extend detention as always applied by police for no good reason other than to punish the detainees.

Oct 17, 08 11:56am

A 26-year-old activist has been arrested under the Internal Security
Act (ISA) tonight following a report she made accusing the police of
abuse of power in yesterday's controversial eviction of a squatter
colony in Johor.
MCPX

Cheng Lee Whee, a self-employed programmer who is a volunteer for
human rights group Suaram, lodged the police report at the Permas Jaya
police station in Johor Bharu at about 3pm yesterday.

The report was made in response to the forced eviction of squatters in
Kampung Baru Plentong Tengah - a predominantly Malay village akin to
Kuala Lumpur's Kampung Baru - and the arrest of 27 individuals for
attempting to stop the demolition of the settlement.

Cheng was summoned by inspector Azman Mustafa to the state police
headquarters in Seri Alam at around 8pm so that her statement could be
taken relating to her police report.

Four of her friends accompanied her to the police station, among them
were Suaram Johor Bahru coordinator Nyam Kee Han, Parti Socialis
Malaysia central committee member Choo Shinn Chei and Suaram volunteer
See Siew Min. The three were arrested yesterday at the forced eviction.

At around 10.45pm, after Cheng had her statement recorded by the
police, she was informed by Criminal Investigation Department chief
DSP Mohd Nor Rasid that she had been arrested under section 28 of the
ISA for "spreading false information".

Section 28 of the ISA involves the dissemination of false reports.

According to the section, "Any person who, by word of mouth or in
writing or in any newspaper, periodical, book, circular or other
printed publication or by any other means spreads false reports or
makes false statements likely to cause public alarm, shall be guilty
of an offence."

According to lawyers, section 28 does not empower the police to detain
a suspect without trial. The suspect must be brought to court within
24 hours either to be charged or be further remanded to facilitate
police investigation.

`Police chief confirmed ISA arrest'

Cheng was later escorted to the Pasir Gudang police station where she
is expected to be remanded tomorrow for further investigation.

DAP state assemblymen for Skudai, Dr Boo Cheng Hau, told Malaysiakini
that he had spoken to Johor police chief Mokhtar Shariff as well as
Seri Alam OCPD Supt Roslan Zainuddin by phone and both officers
confirmed that Cheng had been held under ISA.

He called on the police to either charge Cheng or free her as soon as
possible.

Attempts by Malaysiakini to contact Mokhtar and Roslan were unsuccessful.

Last year, the ISA was invoked in Johor against five individuals for
allegedly spreading rumours through SMSes about racial clashes.

--
Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM )
Penang Branch
63B-01-07, University Heights,
Jalan Sungai Dua,
11700 Penang.
Tel / Fax: 04-6582285
E-mail: suarampg@gmail.com
http://suarampg.blogspot.com/