Six activists questioned over Sosma memorandum handover

KUALA LUMPUR - Six activists have given their statements to the police over a memorandum handover to MPs at the Parliament in regards to the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma).

They arrived at the Dang Wangi police headquarters at about 2.55pm today.

Human rights group Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram) executive director Sevan Doraisamy said they were being investigated under the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012.

He claimed that the handover of the memorandum to the MPs on Dec 20 was made in a peaceful manner adding that the police’s decision to summon them for questioning was unnecessary.

"We sent the memorandum at the Parliament to review Sosma and it was a peaceful event, but why did the police want to summon us for it?

"There are so many issues on Sosma and we want the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government and all the policymakers to sit down and review it,” he said in a press conference outside the police headquarters.

Meanwhile, lawyer Shashi Devan who represented the six activists said his clients were asked 24 questions over the memorandum handover and gathering in front of the Parliament.

"This is not because of a public order issue. The situation is that the police said the gathering may have violated the law," he explained.

The other five activists were Suaram coordinators Wong Yan Ke and Nik Azura Nik Nasron, Malaysian Socialist Party (PSM) deputy chairperson S. Arutchelvan, Kuala Lumpur MIC Youth chief Andrew David and a family representative Ranjith Kumar.

The six were seen leaving the police headquarters at 3.50pm.