Immediate Comment by Loke Siew Fook in Petaling Jaya on Thursday, 21^st May 2009:

The Malaysian police continues to embarass the country to with more arrests of peaceful vigilers

I'm absolutely appalled by the latest round shameful acts carried out by the so-called police of this nation.

Once again DAPSY leaders and members, and now even a concerned member of the public, are arrested for holding a candlelight vigil earlier tonight. This comes after the arrest of close to hundreds of people during the May 7^th Perak State Assembly ruckus, and most recently the arrests of a group of DAPSY members and leaders in a similar vigil two days ago.

In fact, those who were arrested were actually lighting candles on top a birthday cake to celebrate a DAPSY member's birthday before the police disrupted and arrested them.

Malaysia's democratic foundation has been collapsing rapidly ever since the BN's power grab in Perak this February. Our country is a already a laughing stock to the international community. When the police is sending a signal that celebrating your birthday with a group of friends is illegal, we are even more of a joke to the citizens of this world.

I call on the Home Ministry and the police to immediately release all of them who were arrested earlier, and then take a good look at themselves for what they have done to tarnish the image of our beloved country.

* Loke Siew Fook, DAP Socialist Youth (DAPSY) National Chairman & MP for Rasah