Opposition leader held under Sedition Act<\/p>\n
KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): Malaysian police said on Tuesday they were
\ninvestigating a detained opposition leader for sedition following
\nhis alleged call for mass protests to topple Prime Minister
\nMahathir Mohamad's government.<\/p>\n
Mohamad Ezam Mohamad Nor, a former political secretary to
\njailed ex-deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim, was arrested late on
\nMonday. He strongly denies making the call, saying he was
\nmisquoted by a pro-government newspaper.<\/p>\n
Police will seek a court order Wednesday to remand Ezam in
\ncustody for further investigations, the official Bernama news
\nagency reported.<\/p>\n
\"Police are viewing seriously the claim and the fact that Ezam
\nwas reported to be planning a mammoth street demonstration daily
\nthroughout the country,\" said Mohamad Bakri Zinin, police chief
\nfor the capital's Dang Wangi district.<\/p>\n
\"Street demonstrations are illegal. We will investigate under
\nthe Sedition Act. Whatever action is unlawful... we will take
\nnecessary action,\" Bernama quoted him as saying.<\/p>\n
Ezam's reported statement threatened internal security, he
\nadded.<\/p>\n
In signs of a possible new crackdown on anti-government
\nprotests, Deputy Premier Abdullah Ahmad Badawi likened Ezam's
\nreported intentions to those of the communists during the 1948-
\n1960 insurgency.<\/p>\n
\"The communists brought about chaos... burnt buses, trains and
\ndestroyed property with the intention of toppling the government
\nand forming a new government,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Abdullah said Ezam was arrested \"not for his political
\ndifferences, but because of the words he uttered.\"<\/p>\n
Deputy national police chief Jamil Johari warned Monday police
\nwould \"act sternly\" against demonstrations. They used water
\ncannon and tear gas twice last month to disperse protests --
\nwhich are illegal in Malaysia without an official permit.<\/p>\n
Sedition is punishable by up to three years' jail or a fine or
\nboth. Three opposition figures including one of Anwar's lawyers
\nhave been charged under the act in the past 14 months.<\/p>\n
Two are still on trial while one was found guilty and fined.
\nEzam is youth chief of the National Justice Party (Keadilan)
\nheaded by Anwar's wife. He was detained after Sunday's edition of
\nUtusan Malaysia quoted him as saying that Keadilan would stage
\nmass street demonstrations to topple the government.<\/p>\n
Ezam says he spoke only of planned nationwide peaceful
\nprotests against alleged corruption and cronyism and made no
\nmention of trying to oust the government.<\/p>\n
It was not clear how long police would seek to hold Ezam
\nbefore possibly charging him. Mohamad Bakri could not be reached
\nfor comment.<\/p>\n
The Alternative Front opposition alliance, which includes
\nKeadilan, said the police action was based on a report published
\nin a newspaper \"that everybody knows is a tool of the
\ngovernment.\"<\/p>\n
Its spokesman Rustam Sani said in a statement the government
\nwas using \"controlled\" media \"to doctor news and to publish false
\nreports -- and based on such false news reports police arrests
\nwould be carried out.\"<\/p>\n
Ezam, in a statement shortly before his arrest on Monday,
\naccused Mahathir of using the media \"to create a climate of fear
\njust to distract Malaysians from the bigger issues of corruption
\nand abuse of power.\"<\/p>\n
Demonstrations, once rare here, have become more and more
\ncommon since Mahathir sacked his heir apparent Anwar in September
\n1998.<\/p>\n
Anwar was later convicted of abuse of power and sodomy and
\njailed for a total of 15 years in what he says was political
\npersecution. The government denies any political motive.<\/p>\n
Ezam, 34, is already on trial under the Official Secrets Act
\nfor releasing Anti-Corruption Agency reports of investigations
\ninto two government supporters.<\/p>\n
He also faces two charges punishable with jail over an
\nincident during a by-election last November which the government
\nlost.<\/p>",
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