News Bar News/Berita Badan Peguam "This is outrageous!", Bar screams over arrest of Edmund Bon 
| "This is outrageous!", Bar screams over arrest of Edmund Bon |
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| Contributed by Web Reporter | |
| Sunday, 09 December 2007 01:25pm | |
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Earlier, the Bar Council had decided to cancel the walk from SOGO to the Bar Council Secretariat in conjunction with the International Human Rights Day which falls tomorrow. The Council then decided to hold the celebration indoor at the Bar Council Secretariat. Banners and placards were also hung outside the building as well at the perimeter of the car park next to the building which was rented for this purpose. Some of these banners were carried by members during the September 26 Walk for Justice. Then about 12.05pm, a team of officers from DBKL led by one Kulasegaram arrived and said the banners and placards had to be removed because they were put up without any permit. Edmund was then seen trying to explain to him that these banners and placards were hung on private property and asked whether Kulasegaram had any warrant to enter the premises. Bar Councillor Roger Tan who had also just arrived then tried to persuade Kulasegaram to exercise restraint and to allow the celebrations to continue as these banners and placards would be removed by 3pm. Tan also said the Council had already cancelled the walk in good faith, and there was no need to mar the celebrations and aggravate the situation by resorting to this means. However, the unreasonable Kulasegaram and his officers nevertheless went ahead to forcibly remove the banners and placards. Other members of Bon's committee together with the Executive Officer, Rajen tried stopping them shouting, "This is private property, and we reserve our rights against DBKL and each of you". One of the banners removed was totally harmless advertising about the Pesta Masakan Warisan. The DBKL officers then took the banners and placards away. It was at this time that the indignant Bon went back to the steps of the Secretariat shouting in the presence of the press that DBKL had no right to enter our premises as it is private property. "Itu adalah hak kita", Bon said. Bon was also heard inviting the senior police officer who was standing there, "Come, don't do that. Come and celebrate with us. There is nasi lemak and mee goreng inside." Shortly thereafter, a police officer walked towards Bon and wrapped his arms over Bon and said, "You are under arrest". A visibly shaken Bon's mother who was in the Auditorium located on the 1st floor then rushed down but Bon was already whisked away in a police car with a huge crowd of pressmen and lawyers running behind. The patrol car followed by another 2 unmarked police vehicles sped away with sirens screening. Bon was sent to Ibu Pejabat Kontinjent Kuala Lumpur and there the Web Reporter understands he was met by the President of the Malaysian Bar, Ambiga Sreenevasan who was there visiting those lawyers who were arrested earlier in the morning for taking part in the walk from SOGO to the Bar Council Secretariat. When contacted, Ambiga said "this is outrageous and I am in a state of utter disbelief at what has happened."
Comments (9)
Illegal banners and signboards
written by Ng Hong Chai, Sunday, December 09 2007 03:30 pm
If that enforcement officer is so hardworking, I am sure he can occupy himself until his retirement together with the police officers to remove illegal banners and posters that must surely be around in DBKL.
Outrageous is an understatement
written by Nik Elin Nik Abdul Rashid, Sunday, December 09 2007 05:23 pm
This is indeed a sad day. Edmund was supposed to give a closing speech when he was arrested. The festivies, now called the "Festival of FRights", remains unclosed due to Edmund's arrest. We shall continue the struggle.
Inhuman Rights!
written by Dipendra H Rai, Sunday, December 09 2007 05:32 pm
It was highly unnecessary for DBKL to behave this way. They behaved like thugs and watching them tear down a poster on account that secretariat staff was "too slow" in taking it down AND ON PRIVATE PROPERTY THAT TOO, it was just not on.
Kulasegaram
written by Richard Wee Thiam Seng, Sunday, December 09 2007 11:27 pm
Kulasegaram is my favourite name now
A police state?
written by Damian Yeo Shen Li , Sunday, December 09 2007 11:29 pm
I'm utterly disgusted and embarrassed by the unilateral and arbitrary abuse of police power in arresting our friend, Mr Edmund Bon . Bon was arrested in a mafia-style Hollywood type by the police. I, together with all right minded Malaysian, am ashamed of this abuse of police powers. It was a total disregard of the constitutions, and any laws of this country. What Bon did was explaining to DBKL officers that the banners were in private property and subsequently a senior police personnel arrested him. A COWARD act.
Irrational police act
written by Kelvin Ng Sin Huat, Monday, December 10 2007 07:44 am
The DBKL officer enters our premises and removed our banners without warrant. - A crime!
Who is he?
written by Ng Hong Chai, Monday, December 10 2007 07:56 am
From the two stripes on his uniform this Kulasegaram must be a corporal only. Why did they not send him to Batu Caves temple to remove the banners and posters there? Oops on secondment to the Majlis Daerah or Perbandaran as I believe Batu caves is not in FT.
Promotion! written by Lim Yeeu Ren, Monday, December 10 2007 05:39 pm
Our friend Kula would probably be recommended for a promotion. The arresting officer who arrested Edmund will be next to be promoted. It always takes a few incidents for few to be deemed "Heroes" and "deserved to be promoted"! Write comment
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KUALA LUMPUR, Sun: The Chairman of the Bar Council's Human Rights
Committee, Edmund Bon was arrested after stopping some officers from the Kuala
Lumpur City Council (DBKL) from removing banners and placards hung on the premises of
the Bar Council Secretariat about 12.15 this afternoon.
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This is indeed a very sad day for Malaysia. Which law allows local council officers to trespass onto private property and then arrest a Bar Councillor while the Bar Councillor is exercising his right to the freedom of expression on Human Rights Day? Where is the colour of law in this instance?
Good Lord, where are we headed as a nation? Quo vadis, Malaysia, my country, the country where our blood was first split? Have we forgotten how to treat and regard fellow Malaysians with dignity?
Why is this happening?
To my friend, Edmund Bon, may the Lord strengthen your abiding faith in Him as you go through this struggle. There is no shame in what you are doing; indeed it is very honourable of you to have gone through this pompous display of naked power, power without the colour of the law!
Stephen Tan Ban Cheng