Malaysian police re-arrest 3 for sedition

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia – Malaysian police Tuesday, May 28, re-arrested an activist and two opposition politicians under the Sedition Act, their lawyer said, in the latest move to spark tensions following divisive polls early this month.

Activist Haris Ibrahim and politicians Tian Chua and Tamrin Ghafar were arrested last week under the act, but were released after a court declined a police application to hold them in custody.

The arrests were in connection with comments made at a public forum, alleging that fraud marred the May 5 general election and cost the opposition victory.

Prime Minister Najib Razak’s 56-year-ruling coalition won the polls.

“We suspect they want to charge them,” lawyer Gobind Singh Deo told AFP of the re-arrests.

He said a student activist who helped organise a weekend mass rally against election fraud was also detained, but he did not have further details.

A police spokesman confirmed that a court had issued arrest warrants for the four men held Tuesday, as well as another activist. The five men are to appear in court Wednesday to face charges. He did not immediately have further details.

Najib said last year he would repeal the decades-old Sedition Act as part of reforms to guarantee greater civil liberties. But activists and the opposition have dismissed his changes as insincere, pointing to the latest arrests.

Another student activist was charged in court last week with sedition over comments at the same public forum. If found guilty, he faces up to three years in prison.

Tens of thousands of people have flocked to opposition rallies throughout the country since the polls.

Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim is alleging widespread fraud, including “dubious” voters casting ballots in tightly fought constituencies due to irregularities in the electoral roll.

The government has portrayed the opposition as sore losers and insisted the elections were fair and police are upholding the law. -Rappler.com