Media statement (2) by Liew Chin Tong in George Town on Sunday, 15^th May 2011:

Arrest of four DAP activists constitutes arbitrary abuse of police power which all freedom-loving Malaysians should be ashamed of

I am utterly disgusted by the police's irrational arrest of four DAP activists this morning during a peaceful demonstration in Kuantan. The four, who at the time of arrest had been posing for a photo with an anti-Lynas banner, are: Pahang DAP Organising Secretary Lee Chin Chen, Pahang DAP Publicity Secretary Chow Yu Hui, Special Officer to Penang Chief Minister Ting Siew Shuen, and The Rocket's Chinese reporter Khor Huey Ying.

Such arrest constitutes arbitrary abuse of police power which all freedom-loving Malaysians should be ashamed of. I am outraged and strongly condemn the BN government's ongoing crackdown on, and the police¡¯s continued agenda to shut out freedom of expression among citizens.

I would like to remind the police that freedom of expression and assembly is guaranteed under the Federal Constitution of Malaysia as well as in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Not only do the police continuously demonstrate their intolerance towards peaceful assembly, their treatment of the four DAP activists during their arrest this morning was appalling and outrageous. The four were handcuffed like criminals and asked by the police to provide urine samples.

Handcuffing is an excessive measure for the unarmed and peaceful protesters. Urine testing is an absurd and completely unnecessary action as the four were not suspected drug addicts nor were they charged for any drug related offence.

These acts of public humiliation on the DAP activists are clearly a despicable attempt by the BN government to intimidate ordinary Malaysian citizens from speaking up and expressing their views.

The DAP and all right-thinking Malaysians will not bow down to such intimidation tactics and will continue to voice out their views within their democratic rights.

We will not be silenced or sidetracked but will continue to highlight issues concerning the potentially catastrophic radioactive plant in Lynas which has raised several explosive questions with regards to its safety and feasibility of implementation.

Instead of addressing the unanswered questions and putting the safety of the people of Kuantan first, the BN government is instead trying to shut out democratic expression of discontent from the people who are strongly against the Lynas plant. It is all the more reason for Malaysians, especially Kuantan residents to rise up and demand their rights before they are being silenced by the BN government's tyrannical bullying tactics using the police as a show of force.

* Liew Chin Tong, DAP International Secretary & MP for Bukit Bendera