12/12: 30 nabbed

Charles Ramendran, B.Suresh Ram, Husna Yusop and Eunice Au
The Sun

About 30 people, including leaders of the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih), were arrested today when they defied a court order and attempted to hand over a memorandum to oppose the constitutional amendment to extend the retirement age of Election Commission members from 65 to 66.

Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) treasurer Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim, its information chief Tian Chua and PAS treasurer Dr Hatta Ramli were among those arrested.

However, by 5pm, at least half of those detained, including Khalid, were released.

Police checkpoints and closure of roads leading to Parliament building today caused massive jams in the city, and thwarted attempts by Bersih supporters to reach the vicinity.

However, despite the roadblocks and the heavy presence of police personnel led by Sentul OCPD Asst Comm Ahmad Sofian Md Yassin, who took their up positions as early as 4am, several Bersih leaders tried to enter Parliament.

Chua was the first to be arrested at 10.40am when he arrived in a Proton Tiara driven by PKR staff Abdul Razak Ismail. The two coolly drove past dozens of policemen standing guard along the road leading to Parliament but had to stop the car after about 50m. Abdul Razak alighted several minutes after being ordered to do so by the police, but Chua refused to budge.

Three policemen carried him from the car and tried to put him on his feet, but he lay flat on his back on the road. Several policemen then carried him into a patrol car which took him to the state police headquarters on Jalan Hang Tuah. Abdul Razak was taken away in another vehicle.

Fifteen minutes later, Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) secretary-general S.Arutchelvam and another supporter who were on foot, were arrested as they neared the road junction leading to Parliament.

Hatta, together with PAS women's wing head Dr Lo'lo Ghazali, PSM president Dr Nasir Hashim and PKR's Ang Yok Hai, who had walked from the Mahameru highway interchange, were arrested at 11.15am.

At noon, at least 40 journalists, who spotted Khalid turning up alone, converged around the PKR treasurer. He was arrested just as he was about to leave in a four-wheel drive.

Sentul OCPD ACP Ahmad Sofian Md Yassin said all the road closures were removed by 6.30pm but police would continue to guard Parliament House.

City Deputy CPO SAC I Patrick Jijes Sigore, when contacted at about 6pm, said the Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan will issue a statement on the arrests that were carried out.

According to a PKR statement, among those arrested were two journalists, Centre for Independent Journalism executive director V.Gayathry, and Writers Alliance for Media Independence chairman Wong Chin Huat.

It said the two were part of a five-member delegation which handed the memorandum to Parliament. They handed it to opposition members of Parliament, Datuk Kamaruddin Jaafar (PAS-Tumpat), Salahuddin Ayub (PAS-Kubang Kerian), Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail (PKR-Permatang Pauh) and Teresa Kok (DAP-Seputeh).

The other three in the delegation were the head of PAS Research Centre Dr Dzulkifli Ahmad, Suara Rakyat Malaysia executive director Yap Swee Seng and Harakah advertising head Mokhtar Rozaidi.

They five were released by police by 4pm.

As at press time, PKR said 16 people including a 13-year-old boy were still being held by police in their headquarters.