More arrests – updates

Student leader Safwan Anang has been arrested while blogger activist Haris Ibrahim and opposition politicians Tamrin Ghafar and Tian Chua have been re-arrested.

A tweet from Tian Chua’s account confirms the latest arrest:

Tian Chua has just been arrested. #admin

— Tian Chua (@tianchua) May 28, 2013

Tian Chua to be taken to Dang Wangi police station. About eight police or more were present at time of arrest. #admin

— Tian Chua (@tianchua) May 28, 2013

Eight police personnel? His arrest warrant can be seen here.

When I spoke to him earlier this evening to find out about the arrests, he said he could be next.

They have been taken to the Dang Wangi Police Station and are expected to be charged with sedition in the Jalan Duta Court tomorrow morning.

In an immediate response, Sivarasa Rasiah, tweeted: “… kenapa tidak blh arah mereka dtg ke Mhkmh siang esok + dakwa” (Why couldn’t they be ordered to come to court tomorrow during the day and be charged?).

Lawyer Fadiah Nadwa tweeted the following.

Student activist @SafwanAnang has just been arrested.Brought to Dang Wangi police station.

— Fadiah Nadwa Fikri (@FadiahNadwa) May 28, 2013

Minutes earlier, Fadiah said she heard that Tamrin Ghafar had been rearrested.

DAP’s Anthony Loke has confirmed Tamrin’s arrest:

Dapat panggilan dari Dato Tamrin Ghafar bahawa beliau telah ditahan oleh polis semula dan sedang dibawa ke IPD Dang Wangi

— Loke Siew Fook (@anthonyloke) May 28, 2013

Earlier, lawyer Gobind Singh had tweeted:

Harris Ibrahim and Tamrin rearrested. Being taken to Dang Wangi police station.

— GobindSinghDeo (@GobindSinghDeo) May 28, 2013

Cartoonist Zunar said an assistant of Haris had confirmed with him that the activist-blogger had been re-arrested.

Safwan is the President of Solidariti Mahasiswa Malaysia (SMM). One of his last tweets had called on students to participate in the 25 May rally.

Haris, Tamrin and Tian Chua had been released by Magistrate Norashikin Sahat four days ago after being arrested for alleged ‘sedition’. The magistrate rejected an application by police for the three to be remanded for investigations.

This latest round of arrests make a mockery of Najib’s goal to make Malaysia’s the world’s best democracy. On 18 September 2011, Najib had said:

ISA Repealed To Make Malaysia Best Democracy, Says Najib
September 18th, 2011 by Najib Razak

PEKAN, Sept 18 (Bernama) — Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said today the repeal of the Internal Security Act is an effort to make Malaysia the best democracy in the world.

The Prime Minister said the repeal of the ISA was possible at this time because of the success in developing the nation, the increasing maturity of the people and the greater awareness of human rights in society.

“It was not due to pressure from any quarter,” he stressed at his Aidilfitri open house here which was attended by about 50,000 people. Also present was his wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor.

Najib said that changes to the law were part of the political transformation that the government was carrying out from the aspect of human rights.

“The time has come for us to take another step forward not only in economics and education but also in upholding democratic principles,” he added….

Those worthy aspirations now ring hollow.