APSN | Charges dropped against PSM's EO6, 24 others

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Charges dropped against PSM's EO6, 24 others

Malaysian Insider - September 19, 2011

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Kuala Lumpur – Police have dropped all charges against the 30 Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) activists arrested recently with waging war against the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, including the six who were also detained under the Emergency Ordinance (EO).

This comes just days after Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak announced reforms to security and press laws, including the repeal of the Internal Security Act (ISA) and the lifting of three Emergency Declarations.

Sungai Siput MP Dr Michael Jeyakumar, one of the six activists detained under the EO, confirmed with The Malaysian Insider this afternoon that the charges have been dropped but said he was yet to receive proof in black and white.

He said he received an email from the deputy public prosecutor for the case this morning, informing him that instructions have been given to drop the charges.

Asked to respond to the move, Dr Jeyakumar expressed relief and agreed that this was likely part of Najib's attempt to gloss over his image and appear more "liberal".

"But with regards to the repeal of the ISA, we still want to know the nature of the anti-terrorism Bill that will replace it. Will they merely be transferring all of ISA's powers to these new laws?

"We do not want ISA under a new name so it is too early to celebrate," he cautioned.

In place of the ISA, Najib had announced the drafting of two new laws to curb terrorism in the country, much like the Patriot Act in the US which was enacted after the September 2001 terrorist attacks.

Police had detained the 30 PSM activists in Penang during the party's "Udahlah Bersara" campaign and their arrests were later said to be linked to the government's pre-Bersih rally clampdown.

They were then accused of attempting to revive communism and wage war against the King when T-shirts with the images of Marxist revolutionary leader Che Guevara and Malayan communist figures were found in their possession.

Six key activists or the "EO6", including Dr Jeyakumar, were later imprisoned for 28 days under the EO, which allows for detention without trial for up to 60 days.

The other five were PSM deputy chairman M. Sarasvathy, central committee members Choo Chon Kai and M. Sugumaran, Sungai Siput branch secretary A. Letchumanan and Youth chief R. Saratbabu.

Their subsequent release on July 29, 20 days after Bersih 2.0's tumultuous rally which saw thousands gathered in the capital to push for electoral reforms, was claimed to be a result of public pressure and negative publicity in the foreign media after the protest.

All 30 were later charged with possessing subversive documents under the Societies Act and the ISA, and were due for trial next month.