Media Statement
by DAPSY Negeri Sembilan Pro-tem Chief, Loke Siew Fook
on Thursday, June 6, 2002
in Seremban

 Police Action on Kit Siang Violated Basic Freedom of Expression

DAPSY strongly condemn the high-handed police action arresting DAP National Chairman, Lim Kit Siang yesterday for distributing leaflets during the DAP’s People Awareness Campaign about the September 29 Islamic State Declaration by the Prime Minister, Datuk Ser Dr. Mahathir Mohamad. 

The Deputy OCPD Supt Che Sab Hanafiah had first ordered the arrest of Kit Siang for distributing leaflets without a permit, which is clearly not an offence under Section 4 (1) (C) of the Sedition Act 1948. Although being told by Kit Siang that there’s no such offence, the police went on to arrest him and brought him to the Ipoh police station. After realizing that the arrest could be wrongful as it was without any offence, the police came out with a statement that Kit Siang was detained for an offence “suspected to be seditious in nature” under Section 4 (1) (C) of the Sedition Act 1948. 

DAPSY is seriously concerned about such police action of “arrest first, justify the arrest later” as it’s totally against the nature of justice and unlawful as a person is entitled to know what type of offence he or she has committed before being detained by the police. DAPSY strongly urges the Home Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Inspector-General of Police, Tan Sri Norian Mai and Attorney-General Datuk Abdul Gani Patail to immediately drop the charges against Kit Siang and make a public apology for the wrongful police detention. The Home Minister and the Attorney-General also have to immediately take steps to prevent such abuse of power by the police to ensure no further wrongful detention by the police and no innocent ordinary citizens will be detained by the police without committing any offence including the ongoing Ops Warta launched by the police against motorists who have not settled their summonses.

The police action yesterday is a gross violation of the basic freedom of expressions as what the DAP has done is merely exercising our fundamental rights as citizens and political activists to express our views and disseminate information to the public on the serious implications of the Prime Minister’s declaration. We never mean to question Islam as we respect Islam as the official religion of Malaysia but we challenge the legality and suitability of Malaysia being an Islamic State as it’s totally against the principle of our Social Contract and the Federal Constitution drafted in 1957 when Malaya gained her independence. We call on Suhakam to make a strong stand on yesterday’s police action and it’s the duty of Suhakam to protect the fundamental rights of Malaysians on the basic freedom of expression.