PETALING JAYA: The Bar Council has criticised the manner in which political activist Wong Chin Huat was arrested and called for his release immediately.
“The arrest does not bode well for the Prime Minister’s promise of openness and respect for the people. Healthy and open debates on public concern issues must be permitted,” said council president Ragunath Kesavan in a press statement Wednesday.
Wong, a representative of the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih), was arrested on Tuesday night apparently over a press conference he held earlier in which he urged the public to wear black in protest against the Perak state government takeover.
He has been remanded until Friday.
Ragunath also said that the council is concerned that the police have resorted to the Sedition Act yet again “to stifle public opinions that are unfavourable to the ruling government.”
The Bar Council said that “repressive legislation such as the Sedition Act is an affront to democracy” and called for the Government to repeal the Act, or in the meantime, refrain from using it.
6 days ago
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