 The Bar Council is appalled at the harassment and intimidation from the police directed at participants of the JERIT “Ride for Change” Campaign. The cyclists and those accompanying them have had to endure frequent roadblocks, unnecessary questioning and arrests as they journeyed towards KL. In addition they have had to endure their bikes being torched by unknown persons and at least one stone-throwing incident.
To date, approximately 120 individuals have been detained. Most recently, 39 persons were stopped for hours at the Bangi Lama Estate on Monday, 15 December. That same day, approximately 30 activists and 26 cyclists (who were minors) were detained overnight at the Rawang police station. This morning, one person was arrested prior to the handover of the memorandum at Parliament to mark the end of the campaign. The freedom of expression and speech by the “Ride for Change” campaign participants is wholly consistent with their rights as enshrined in our Federal Constitution and is surely a basic and rudimentary tenet of any truly democratic society. There must be absolute respect for every citizen to express their views in accordance with our Constitution. In fact the police have a public duty to provide protection and safety for all the participants. Their demands as stated in the fliers distributed throughout their campaign call attention to the abolition of the ISA, minimum wage for workers, affordable housing for the poor, the halt to the privatization of basic amenities, the need for price controls and local council elections. The role of the police should be to provide the necessary safety and protection for all the participants, and we commend the police for the occasions when they fulfilled this role. In most instances, however, they were overzealous and heavy-handed, and harassed the participants in a manner that could be perceived to be political interference by the police to stop any form of dissent to please the government of the day. The intimidation and persecution, including the threat of the use of the Child Act, Police Act and the Printing Presses and Publications Act in respect of the campaign activities, are ludicrous. The police seem to be clutching at straws and utilising strong-arm tactics to clamp down and derail a peaceful civil society initiative. We are concerned about the threat that Sungai Siput MP Dr Jeyakumar and the parents of the cyclists who are minors, among others, who are being investigated for allegedly committing offences against the Child Act and Police Act. The Bar Council stands ready to provide them with legal representation should the need arise. We commend the Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Dato' Seri Mohamed Nazri, for facilitating the delivery of JERIT’s memorandum in Parliament this morning. We must accept the peaceful expression of views, even those that are not always palatable, as a legitimate part of the democratic process.
Ragunath Kesavan
Vice President
Malaysian Bar 18 December 2008
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