7th June 2002

Yang Berbahagia Tan Sri Abu Talib bin Othman
Chairman
Human Right Commission Malaysia
Tingkat 29 Menara Tun Razak
Jalan Raja Laut
50350 Kuala Lumpur                                                                       

Yang Berbahagia Tan Sri,

Re:  Complaint Against Violation Of Human Rights 

I write on behalf of DAP Perak to complain against blatant violations of human rights by the Police in the past week in Perak. 

The 1st incident happened when DAP Chairman, Mr Lim Kit Siang was wrongfully arrested and detained when he was distributing the leaflet entitled "No to 929" on 5/6/2002.  He was arrested on the ground that he has committed an offence under the Sedition Act for “distributing the said leaflets without permit”.  After the arrest, the police discovered that such an offence was non-existent under the said Act.  The police has now used the excuse that the material he distributed was seditious and therefore, he has committed an offence under Section 4(1)(c) of Sedition Act.  It is ridiculous to suggest that the said leaflet is seditious.  A copy of the said leaflet is enclosed for your reference.  Mr Lim Kit Siang has lodge a police report against the police for his wrongful arrest and detention.  A copy of his report is also enclosed for your kind attention. 

At about 4.40 pm yesterday (6/6/2002) the police raided the Perak DAP office with a search warrant on the ground that the Ipoh Timur UMNO division secretary, Zulkifli Abdul Hamid has lodged a police report against the DAP from distributing the leaflets.   The police have already been given the said leaflets when Mr. Lim Kit Siang was arrested and knew that the leaflets are not seditious in nature. It was unwarranted for the police to take away all our ' No to 929 ' leaflets that were found in our office. The police had become a tool of another political party to frustrate our People Awareness Campaign on 929. Our premises were raided without just cause. 

The officer in charge of Station (OCS) for Menglembu Chief Inspector Abdul Ghani was seen threatening the public not to receive the said leaflets when we went distributing the leaflets at the Menglembu market this morning. 

The police have also disallowed us to peacefully gather at the Kampung Simee, Pasir Pinji, Buntong and Menglembu markets to launch the campaign during the last few days. 

I urge the SUHAKAM to look into this complaint immediately and conduct a public inquiry to ensure that the right to association, rights to dissemination of information, free speech and the right of political parties to operate freely are preserved in our democratic country.

 

Yours faithfully,

Ngeh Koo Ham
Perak DAP State Chairman

C.C: 1) The National Chairman, DAP Malaysia
          2) the Secretary General, DAP Malaysia 

 

 

* Ngeh was accompanied by Fong Po Kuan, MP for Batu Gajah and Thomas Su, Perak DAPSY Chief

** Suhakam Commissioner, Dr Abdul Monir Yaacob, who had received the official complaint from the DAP Perak delegation, promised that the complaint would be considered at the full Suhakam Board meeting on Monday, 10th June 2002