This is @zunarkartunis !Determined even as he is charged under #sedition act. #Malaysia (via @malaysiakini ) pic.twitter.com/1q1aOsTOu1
— Gayathry V (@gayathry) April 3, 2015
He had to post bail this morning on nine counts of sedition. Each count RM2,500. Total RM22,500. And after that, this happened:
Even as Najib faces mounting pressure from Mahathir and Razaleigh, Malaysia’s leading political cartoonist Zunar reports: “My lawyer just informed that the government will charge me with NINE charges under The Sedition Act tomorrow, with the bail is about RM50,000. Otherwise I will be in jail.”
The good folks at Kajian Politik untuk Perubahan Malaysia have gone through the Prevention of Terrorism Act bill and are struck by how closely Pota resembles the ISA.
Here are their observations:
KPRU mendapati, POTA memaparkan beberapa ciri-ciri yang dikongsi bersama sebelum Akta Keselamatan Dalam Negeri (ISA) dmansuhkan seperti berikut:
Update: Lionel Morais, Amin Shah Iskandar and Zulkifli Sulong were released this evening after the police failed to secure remand. Release Kay Tat and Jahabar as well!
The arrests of The Edge CEO Ho Kay Tat and TMI chief editor Jahabar Sadiq this morning, along with three other TMI editors – Lionel Morais, Amin Shah Iskandar and Zulkifli Sulong – is deeply disturbing.
This is not a step formard, but a step backwards to the dark days post-Ops Lalang, when The Star and a couple of other papers were effective muzzled.
@TerenceFnandez @hwabeng I thought I will never see the day when honest journalism becomes a victim. Not time to quit but stay n fight!
— Citizen Nades (@CitizenNades) March 31, 2015
Update (3.40pm): The Prevention of Terrorism bill was tabled today in Parliament. The bill, which allows for detention without trial similar to the ISA, will go for a second reading this week. “They’re going to steamroll the bill through,” says one MP in Parliament.
Preventive detention could very well be making a return soon with the tabling of the Prevention of Terrorism bill and a string of other related bills in Parliament tomorrow. We got rid of the ISA, which allowed detention without trial, not too long ago. Now this…
List of POTA related bills for 1st reading tomorrow… Journalists take note… pic.twitter.com/j3f1RzPqRd
— Ong Kian Ming (@imokman) March 29, 2015
Update: After the rally, PKR organising secretary Faris Musa was arrested for sedition and taken to Dang Wangi. Bersih tweeted that two others were also arrested, but I’m unable to verify this at this stage.
Incredible. I am lost for words. But then again, this photo says it all. Words are superfluous.
[Terkini] Saudara Rafizi direman lagi 3 hari.Hanya kerana melawan rasuah dan kezaliman.
Posted by Rafizi Ramli on Friday, 27 March 2015
This was at KL Sentral at around 2.00pm – ahead of the Sogo protest at around 3.30pm or 4.00pm.
Aksi bermula mahasiswa sedang duduk #bantahGST di KL Sentral.Ayuh semua, jumpa 4.00 petang ni#KitaLawan #UndurNajib
Posted by Kita Lawan on Friday, 27 March 2015
Why 20 cops to detain Tian Chua (according to his tweet)? Why was Mat Sabu detained by armed men in ski masks? Why was Hisham Rais bundled away by unidentified men? What message is being conveyed here? That these activists and opposition politicians are dangerous?
The arrests come ahead of a planned protest rally outside Sogo at 4.00pm today, which also happens to be the day of the Big Wedding.
Sebilangan 20 anggota polis menahan saya di Dewan Komuniti Kg Batu Muda, sebaik saja saya keluar dari town hall meeting. #KitaLawan
— Tian Chua (@tianchua) March 28, 2015
He was taken to the Jinjang Police Station.
Laurence Loh laments the poor protection of heritage buildings outside the Unesco heritage core zone.