[asia-apec 761] Re: PRM rally stopped by police

[Oxfam GB - Indonesia Office]

Dear friend, 

We have received same messafge from the other e-mail address in our office.
Would please not to send in this e-mail address gain then? Thanks. 

secretary

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> From: PANAP at GEO2.poptel.org.uk
> To: asia-apec at jca.ax.apc.org
> Subject: [asia-apec 760] PRM rally stopped by police
> Date: 07 Oktober 1998 8:44
> 
> RALLY STOPPED BY POLICE
> 
> Police officer OCPD Zaini, backed by about a dozen members of the Federal
> Reserve Unit armed with batons and shields, plus about another dozen
> uniformed police personnel and an unknown number of ununiformed Special
> Branch (SB) officers descended on a rally that was organised  by
> Parti Rakyat Malaysia (PRM) Johore, on Monday night, 28 September
> 1998, at Kampung Melayu Majidee, Johor Bahru. The speakers lined up
> to address the the rally were Dr Syed Husin Ali (President), lawyer
> Adul Razak Ahmad (Deputy President) and Hassan Abdul Karim (PRM
> Youth leader). 
> 
> The Secretary of PRM Johore submitted to the police an application for
> permit to hold this rally two weeks ago on 14 September, but after being
> called and questioned by the police a number of times he was informed on
> Saturday 26 September, only two days before the rally, that no permit
would
>  be issued. By that time wide publicity had already been given to the
> public  about the rally, and it was difficult  at such a short notice to
> inform them about the police decision.
> 
> Considering that the police decision was unfair and the law on which they
> acted was unjust, PRM decided to carry on with the rally. Starting about
> 8.00 p.m., police blocked roads leading to the place where the rally was
> to be held, and I was informed that a water canon vehicle was also
standing
> by. Nevertheless,  over 1,000 people  managed to gather there. 
> 
> Hassan, as chairman, began the rally  at about 9.15 p.m. with some
> introductory remarks and then invited Razak to speak.   Razak had hardly
> spoken for five minutes  when OCPD Zaini, accompanied by a number of
police
> personnel, asked him to stop in three minutes time, stating that the
rally
> was not legal. At that time Razak invited Syed Husin  to speak. When the
> three minutes was up, OCPD Zaini asked everything to stop and threatened
> action.  The FRU personnel came, apparently asking the crowd to disperse.
> In order to protect the safety of the public, we decided to call it a
day.
> 
> In a media conference held immediately afterwards, Abdul Razak Ahmad
> condemned the high-handed action of the police. He said the rally was
> peaceful and did not at all threaten any disorder. He urged the
government
> and the police to allow for the airing of views on all important issues
> affecting the country and the people. He said that PRM would continue to
> inform the public and hold discourses with the people through such
rallies
> and also other legal and appropriate means.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Secretariat
> PRM 
> 
> 29 September 1998