Malaysia rolls out crackdown against dissent

Malaysia rolls out crackdown against dissent
2 hours ago (2 PM 10 Dec. 2007)

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP) — Malaysian authorities clamped down on dissent Monday, rolling out three separate legal actions against organisers of protests that have rocked the country in recent weeks.

Rights groups and opposition leaders condemned the crackdown as anti-democratic and called for the release of dozens of government critics who face trial over charges including attempted murder and sedition.

"The charges are baseless and repressive," said Sivarasa Rasiah who was among nine lawyers and their supporters arrested for mounting a human rights march in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday.

Sivarasa said the group had spent a night on a cement floor in police custody before eight of them were slapped with counts of illegal assembly, creating a public nuisance and disobeying a police order to disperse.

In a packed courtroom that erupted with applause for the defendants, prominent lawyer Edmund Bon was also charged with obstructing a city official who tried to remove protest banners from Malaysia's Bar Council building.

Attorney General Abdul Gani Patail, who was in court to personally oversee the case, said his actions showed "contempt for law and authority ... that is the seriousness of the matter."

Another 12 opposition figures were also rounded up over the weekend in connection with an electoral reform rally last month which drew nearly 30,000 people who police dispersed with tear gas and water cannons.

In a third case, the government was due later Monday to attempt to revive sedition charges against three leaders of ethnic Indian rights group Hindraf after a judge earlier allowed them to walk free.

Last week, 31 ethnic Indians were also charged with attempted murder over the wounding of a police officer during a rally at a Hindu temple on the eve of November 25 mass protests organised by Hindraf.

Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who has threatened to use draconian internal security legislation against Hindraf leaders, said Sunday that action would be taken against anyone who violated the law.

"We do not discriminate. There are no double standards in enforcing the law," he said.

Opposition leader Lim Kit Siang, who came to the court to show his support for the lawyers, condemned the arrests at the Sunday march as "completely unwarranted and a clear reckless abuse of power".

"Yesterday, was a black Sunday for human rights. A black Sunday for the prime minister who promised four years ago to respect human rights," he said.

Human rights group Aliran urged the government to "immediately and unconditionally release all those brave Malaysians who have been unjustifiably detained."

"Aliran deplores the thoughtless and mindless reaction of the state against any democratic expression of our constitutional rights to exert our freedom," the leading human rights group said in a statement.

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