KUALA LUMPUR – The government should focus on establishing a royal commission of inquiry (RCI) into the contentious littoral combat ship (LCS) project controversy instead of clamping down on people protesting about the controversy, said Muda.
Party information chief Luqman Long said this following the move by police to rope in 10 individuals over their involvement in the #ManaKapalLCS demonstration last weekend.
“Instead of focusing resources on investigating the participants of the protest, the government should put more effort into being transparent about the LCS case,” he told The Vibes.
“The government should establish the RCI now and commence a special parliamentary sitting to debate the LCS.
“It should also be transparent about the LCS discussion, and not hide behind Facebook posts. The cycle of investigating protesters must no longer continue.”
Luqman was among the 10 individuals called in for questioning at the Dang Wangi police headquarters this afternoon.
He said the group entered the station at 3pm and left at 4.50pm.
“Everything went well. The lawyers of the group assisted everyone until the end.”
Luqman said investigators told the group that they were being investigated under section 9(5) of the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012, but did not indicate whether anyone will be charged.
Others called in were Muda co-founder Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, secretary-general Amir Abd Hadi, and Muda student leader Muhammad Syahmi, as well as former DAP central executive committee member Sheikh Umar Bagharib Ali, lawyer Siti Kasim, Suaram executive director Sevan Doraisamy, Belia Harmoni Malaysia president Usaid Muhamad Asmadi, and one Abbas Salimmi.
Pasir Pinji assemblyman Howard Lee – who was initially supposed to show up today – was not present today, but Luqman said the former’s session has been scheduled for a later time.
Last Sunday, more than 100 people protested against the government’s mishandling of the LCS project outside the Sogo shopping complex here, in a demonstration that ended peacefully and without any arrests.
The speakers had criticised the government for spending RM6 billion of taxpayers’ money on the procurement of six combat vessels, although none have been delivered to date.
The rally followed the release of a report on the project by Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee, which found several discrepancies and alleged wrongdoing.
Later that evening, Dang Wangi police chief Noor Dellhan Yahaya had said a total of 13 individuals would be investigated over the protest, adding that the gathering did not abide by provisions in the law.
“They were seen holding placards and banners with the words ‘national security under threat’, ‘TLDM’s readiness affected’, ‘H20 should resign’, ‘Probe where are the ships!’, ‘Where are the LCS ships’, and so on,” he had said.
Noor Dellhan added that the investigation would be done under Section 9(5) of the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012. – The Vibes, August 17, 2022
