PSM leaders have secured a meeting with Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein, as early as this weekend, to discuss the fate of six party members being detained under the Emergency Ordinance (EO).
This, as an aide to minister they met today explained, is because Hishammuddin is overseas and will only return to Malaysia on Friday, July 22.“His aide initially set the meeting for July 25, since Hishammuddin will be going on several trips prior to that, but we reminded him that this is the age of technology and he should at least be able to talk to us on Twitter or via phone,” PSM secretary-general S Arutchelvam later told a press conference.
He also said that the aide told them that the matter was being handled by the police and the ministry would have to wait for their report on it.
However, the aide gave his assurance that he would impress the matter on Hishammuddin, as the minister was the only one who could intervene in the matter.
The socialist party's top guns descended upon the Home Ministry building in Putrajaya this morning, to open negotiations into the release of six of their comrades, dubbed the PSM 6.
“If Hishammuddin can meet with the people behind the cow head protest, he should have no problem to meet with representatives of a legitimate political party,” sniped Arutchelvam.
Arriving about 11am, the 12-member delegation led by national chairman Dr Nasir Hashim (right) and Arutchelvam (left) had faxed their intention ahead of time, but were told to wait until the special officer to Hishammuddin, who was in the midst of a government meeting, would be available to meet with them.
The home minister was not in the office at the time.
“If Hishammuddin can meet with the people behind the cow head protest, he should have no problem to meet with representatives of a legitimate political party,” sniped Arutchelvam.
Arriving about 11am, the 12-member delegation led by national chairman Dr Nasir Hashim (right) and Arutchelvam (left) had faxed their intention ahead of time, but were told to wait until the special officer to Hishammuddin, who was in the midst of a government meeting, would be available to meet with them.The home minister was not in the office at the time.
The PSM leaders said that party was willing to be investigated and wondered why the party members were allowed to roam free if there was indeed something illegal about them.
“Why arrest the members and let the leaders be free? We are offering a way out to them. Investigate us. We think that the detentions are politically motivated and there is no basis for them at all,” the party secretary-general added.
Arutchelvam and Nasir stressed that the party, while admittedly left wing and socialist, was a legitimate political organisation and had done no wrong - unless fighting for the rakyat was a criminal offence in the eyes of the government.
“Release them or charge them, don't put our comrades in cold storage,” said Nasir.
Six PSM activists, including Sungai Siput MP Dr Jeyakumar Devaraj, are being detained under the ordinance instituted during the 1969 emergency.
The six were among 30 party members arrested at the Sungai Dua toll plaza in Kepala Batas, Penang, and accused of “spreading communist ideology” and “waging war against the Yang di-Pertuan Agong”.
The others have since been released under police bail.
They were part of PSM's nationwide tour to ask the rakyat to vote for change, which was also promoting the Bersih 2.0 rally for electoral reforms.
Critics argue that the strident police action was an intimidation tactic aimed at suppressing support for the hugely popular movement for clean and fair elections.
“Why arrest the members and let the leaders be free? We are offering a way out to them. Investigate us. We think that the detentions are politically motivated and there is no basis for them at all,” the party secretary-general added.
Arutchelvam and Nasir stressed that the party, while admittedly left wing and socialist, was a legitimate political organisation and had done no wrong - unless fighting for the rakyat was a criminal offence in the eyes of the government.
“Release them or charge them, don't put our comrades in cold storage,” said Nasir.Six PSM activists, including Sungai Siput MP Dr Jeyakumar Devaraj, are being detained under the ordinance instituted during the 1969 emergency.
The six were among 30 party members arrested at the Sungai Dua toll plaza in Kepala Batas, Penang, and accused of “spreading communist ideology” and “waging war against the Yang di-Pertuan Agong”.
The others have since been released under police bail.
They were part of PSM's nationwide tour to ask the rakyat to vote for change, which was also promoting the Bersih 2.0 rally for electoral reforms.
Critics argue that the strident police action was an intimidation tactic aimed at suppressing support for the hugely popular movement for clean and fair elections.
PSM has also filed a habeas corpus application to compel the authorities to produce the PSM 6 in court and explain the legal basis for their prolonged detention.
The matter is to be heard before Justice Soo of the High Court in Kuala Lumpur on Friday
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