Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi yesterday denied allegations that the government, notably the police, practised double standards in dealing with protesters.
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In his written answer to DAP Lim Kit Siang at the Parliament, Zahid said the police had never practiced double standards including by way of selective investigation or action.
He was referring to the police dealing with “kid’s gloves” 50 Muslims who demanded on April 19 that the cross at the Community of Praise Church in Taman Medan, Petaling Jaya, be taken down, and another protest against the GST where the authorities acted “harshly”.
The anti-GST protest was in the form of a picket in front of the Customs Headquarters in Kelana Jaya. About a 100 people involved in the sit-in, on March 23, had 106 questions to which they wanted answers from Customs.
The Home Minister said that 79 people were arrested for the GST sit-in including 25 remanded for two days on March 24 and March 25.
I think Lim was trying to sensationalise the issue. Accusing the police of practicing double standards in investigations involving rallies organised by anti-government groups will add weigh to Pakatan Rakyat's politics.
To them, the police is the best available tool to batter the government.
Not that they don't like the police. They need them 'as dogs'! That's how they described PDRM, remember?
In his written answer to DAP Lim Kit Siang at the Parliament, Zahid said the police had never practiced double standards including by way of selective investigation or action.
He was referring to the police dealing with “kid’s gloves” 50 Muslims who demanded on April 19 that the cross at the Community of Praise Church in Taman Medan, Petaling Jaya, be taken down, and another protest against the GST where the authorities acted “harshly”.
The anti-GST protest was in the form of a picket in front of the Customs Headquarters in Kelana Jaya. About a 100 people involved in the sit-in, on March 23, had 106 questions to which they wanted answers from Customs.
The Home Minister said that 79 people were arrested for the GST sit-in including 25 remanded for two days on March 24 and March 25.
"(A total of) 52 people were charged in stages at the Petaling Jaya Court on April 23 and May 2. Case management has been set for Tuesday.”He pledged that police were in the process of completing the investigation papers on the cross protest and they would be forwarded to the Attorney General’s Chambers. “Those involved have been identified and their statements taken.”
Besides investigating under the Minor Offences Act 1955, the police investigated the protest in Kelana Jaya, organised by Gabungan Bantah GST and led by Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM), under section 143 of the Penal Code and section 353 i.e. being part of an unlawful assembly and deterring a civil servant from his duties respectively.
The protest at the Church, said Zahid, was investigated under section 448/511 of the Penal Code which refers to “trying to infiltrate a building”.
"The Federal Constitution allows the freedom to gather,” he pointed out. “However, there are limits under the country’s laws.”
I think Lim was trying to sensationalise the issue. Accusing the police of practicing double standards in investigations involving rallies organised by anti-government groups will add weigh to Pakatan Rakyat's politics.
To them, the police is the best available tool to batter the government.
Not that they don't like the police. They need them 'as dogs'! That's how they described PDRM, remember?