KUALA LUMPUR – Despite police investigating close to 100 people over their alleged involvement in last Saturday’s #TangkapAzamBaki rally, protesters remain steadfast in their call for accountability from the nation’s top graft buster.
Close to 40 people – comprising politicians, activists, and members of the public – were questioned at the Brickfields district police headquarters today.
According to lawyer Ho Cheng En, 25, they are being investigated under Section 9(5) of the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012 as well as Regulations 10 and 17 of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988.
“We were not trying to cause any trouble between the police and the people,” said Ketari assemblyman Young Syefura Othman, who was questioned by police today.
Alleging that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob has not addressed the controversy, Young Syefura said: “We as the rakyat have the right to ask what’s happening.”
Also questioned today was Kg Tunku assemblyman Lim Yi Wei, who asked how everyday people can trust the nation’s anti-corruption body when its chief is facing allegations of wrongdoing.
“Sometimes my constituents tell me that enforcement officers tried to ask them for bribes, so I tell them to lodge a report with the MACC.
How can we give them trust to file a report when the head (of the MACC) is also like that?”
Lim added that she believes the investigation is merely an intimidation tactic.
“Especially for those that are younger and not so experienced in protests, to get a call from the police for the first time is definitely scary.”
Lawyer Syahredzan Johan, who was representing Lim, told The Vibes that police had visited student activists at their homes.
Describing the act as one of intimidation, he said with many ways of contacting protesters, “there’s no need to do that”.
Despite this, Pejuang man Datuk Seri Khairuddin Abu Hassan, who was also questioned today, said he is not intimidated at all.
“We are immune to all this, it’s normal, the cops and prison are no stranger to us.”
Last Saturday, close to 400 people gathered along Jalan Bangsar calling for the immediate arrest of MACC chief Tan Sri Azam Baki.
The rally was initially planned to be held near the Sogo shopping complex, but was moved to the Bangsar LRT station following a court order banning assemblies near Sogo, Dataran Merdeka, and Masjid Jamek.
Police also closed six roads in the city centre and deployed some 1,000 officers to monitor the protest. – The Vibes, January 28, 2022
