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.