Malaysian police arrest seven rival supporters

Malaysian police arrest seven rival supporters

KUALA LUMPUR (Agencies): Malaysian police confirmed on Wednesday they have arrested seven opposition supporters under the draconian Internal Security Act (ISA) and said more arrests would be made.

Asked how many more people would be arrested, the national police chief Norian Mai told a press conference: "That's a secret."

Norian, reading a statement, said the seven "Reformasi" (reform) supporters were detained on Tuesday and Wednesday "because there was information about their involvement in an activity which could endanger the security of the country."

He said they planned to launch "large-scale street demonstrations in a militant way ahead of the 2004 elections." The ISA allows indefinite detention without trial.

Supporters of jailed ex-deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim planned to present a memorandum on his treatment to the human rights commission on Saturday, April 14.

They call the date "Black 14" since it marks the second anniversary of Anwar's sentencing on April 14, 1999, for abuse of power.

Norian said the event could have turned into a riot. From Jan. 6 to April 4, he said, some 20 activists had held 12 secret meetings to persuade the public to take part in militant street demonstrations.

"They plan to gather 50,000 people. The gathering and the procession has the potential to transform into a riot," the police chief said.

Norian said activists were prepared to carry out activities outside the constitution to achieve their objectives. Their detention was to enable the police to carry out in-depth probe.

"Reformasi" activities that began in September 1998 with Anwar's arrest aimed to topple the government by mass demonstrations, he said.

Asked if there was a shift in the government's policy of not wanting to use the ISA, Norian said: "You ask the government." The arrests were initiated by the police, he said.

Norian said that back in 1998 the Reformasi activists had tried to obtain explosives including rocket launchers and to use petrol bombs and other dangerous weapons to attack security forces.

The group had tried to garner the support of Malay self- defense (silat) instructors and former security personnel, he charged.

Norian said police took action against 28 activists in late 1998 -- when Anwar and 27 others were detained under the ISA -- but only managed to contain them for a short period.

The movement relaunched its activities in 1999 under the guise of a political party, he said, in a reference to the National Justice Party led by Anwar's wife.

Norian described the threat posed by the group as serious. "It must be serious enough to warrant arrest under the ISA."

Meanwhile, the wives of Malaysian opposition activists detained without trial on Wednesday angrily protested the arrests, saying "our loved ones have disappeared into thin air."

The arrests from Tuesday were a "severe violation" of basic rights, they said in a letter to the National Human Rights Commission (Suhakam).

"As far as we are concerned, our loved ones have disappeared into thin air. We consider the denial of access and other basic information as an extraordinarily brutal and callous act by the police," they said.

A Malaysian rights group also slammed on Wednesday the arrests of the activists. "The ISA (Internal Security Act) has been consistently used against people who criticize the government and defend human rights," said a statement from Suaram (Voice of the Malaysian People). "It has been the most convenient tool for the state to suppress opposition and open debate."

A Malaysian workers union on Wednesday refused to back off from plans next month for a one day nationwide picket by its nearly half a million members to protest the way their state-run pension fund is being managed.

Low dividend payouts, controversial investments, a reduction in contributions and lower death and injury benefits have fueled discontent with the running of the Employee Provident Fund (EPF).

Zainal Rampak, president of the Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC), told Reuters the picket should go on as scheduled on May 12 after a unanimous decision last week by the union's working committee.

The MTUC wants the government to protect the level of dividends paid and ensure the quality of investments made by EPF. Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad has criticized the MTUC for calling the protest without seeking dialogue with the government first.