KUALA LUMPUR – Several lawmakers, youth leaders and activists have been summoned by the Dang Wangi police for questioning next week for a series of protests against Tan Sri Azam Baki that they participated in.
The Vibes was informed that the questioning is for the protest and submission of memorandum in front of Parliament on Thursday, the Undur Azam Baki event at Restoran Amjal on Friday, and the Arrest Azam Baki street demonstration yesterday.
Muda lawyer Beatrice Chin said speakers at Friday night’s event at Restoran Amjal have been told to be present at the Dang Wangi police headquarters tomorrow at 2pm.
More than 10 individuals are believed to have been summoned, although it is uncertain if all of them will be attending.
According to Chin, Muda founder Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman and party secretary-general Amira Aisya Abd Aziz have also been summoned for “participating in a protest” in front of Parliament on Thursday, while the special parliamentary sitting on the recent flood disaster was ongoing.
They will be questioned under Section 9 of the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012 and examined for Covid-19 standard operating procedure (SOP) violations.
I understand a bunch of other lawmakers have also been summoned. They are PKR members who were protesting against Azam besides submitting a memorandum demanding MACC be saved.
“There is a bit of confusion about the Thursday event, because Muda members were there to submit a different memorandum on climate change. But we will be at Dang Wangi on Tuesday.”
Separately, Chin said about 24 individuals from various political parties will also be hauled up by cops for taking part in yesterday’s street rally, although a date has not been fixed yet.
When contacted, DAP Youth chief Howard Lee confirmed that he is among the individuals summoned to Dang Wangi tomorrow evening, but is unsure about the details of the investigation.
“I was of course at the Amjal event on Thursday night, and I was the closing speaker. Nothing has been made clear to me. It’s just that I have been informed I’ve been summoned, so of course I agreed to go.”
Lee said he would not blame police for initiating an investigation against the participants, instead of pinning the blame on those in power who have issued the order.
It is unhealthy as this is quite clearly a form of discouragement, and they are using the rally to discourage the rakyat from going further in pursuing their democratic rights.”
Meanwhile, Amira also confirmed that Muda vice-president Dr Thanussha Francis Xavier and herself have been summoned tomorrow for speaking at the Restoran Amjal event, and said they will be cooperating.
“This form of intimidation has been used against us social and political activists so many times. By now, the government should know these threats don’t work on us. If anything, they fuel us to work and fight harder against corruption.
“We didn’t do anything wrong – we followed the SOPs during the night event. We have nothing to fear. We can see the government is clearly afraid of the power the youth holds, and this is a positive development,” she said.
Others who are expected to be present at Dang Wangi tomorrow include social activist and PKR member Adam Adli, Amanah Youth vice-chief Zubair Rahim, the wing’s strategic director Asmaaliff Abdul Adam, and lecturer Abu Hafiz. – The Vibes, January 23, 2022
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