MORE PICS – 29 ARRESTED Opposition Leaders, NGOs & BERSIH Protesters in Parliament & Elsewhere; Nazri Joke? – Arrest to protect MPs;Walk-out by MPs

UPDATE:

1 Public can be barred from Parliament

2 Speaker defends police action against Bersih leaders

Husna Yusop, Giam Say Khoon and B. Suresh Ram; the SUN
PETALING JAYA (Dec 12, 2007): Lawyers said the public can be barred from entering the Parliament as it is a security area, not a public area. They said the public need to abide by specific procedures regarding visitation before entering the Parliament building, and this includes seeking permission by writing in an application letter to the House‘s head of administration. However, the lawyers differred in opinion on an injunction obtained by police to stop the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih) from having an assembly to hand over a memorandum opposing the constitutional amendment to extend the retirement age of some Election Commission officials from 65 to 66.

Bar Council vice-president Ragunath Kesavan said anyone can enter the Parliament as long as they follow the procedures. "Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz was right when he said they were not allowed in as they did not have a permission. And, opposition leader Lim Kit Siang was also right when he said the public should have access to their elected representatives. "But, the Parliament is not an open area like Dataran Merdeka. There are certain procedures which the public must observe," he told theSun today when asked for his views on the incident yesterday where 29 protesters were held for defying a court order, but all of them were later released. The visitation procedures to enter the Parliament is available on its website www.parlimen.gov.my Two other lawyers T. Kuhan and Gan Ping Sieu also concurred with Ragunath about the need for the public to abide by the visitation procedures and be confined to the limited areas within the House which are either restricted from or open to the public. However,

Gan who is also MCA Youth legal bureau chief said police should refrain from taking "excessive enforcement" as submitting a memorandum to the MPs should not be taken as an illegal assembly which poses a security threat. "The public have the right to be in the public gallery in Parliament, so the application should not become an obstruction to stop people from going to Parliament," he said. On the court injunction obtained by the police, Gan said it was quite strange for the police to do so but it should not be questionable as the court had granted it. Kuhan said the police may have felt they would be seen as being one-sided if they were to act on their own, so they went to court to obtain the order to exercise their right. "The right way is to go to court. Anybody can go to the court.

The court will not discriminate, it upholds the law. When there are two differing parties, you go to the court because it is independent. And, you cannot defy a court order. "It is up to the court to grant the order. In this case, the court, after taking all circumstances, decided as such. If they (Bersih) disagreed with this, they should also go to court and ask to set aside the injunction," he said, adding that Bersih could have just postponed the handing over of the memo pending the decision of the court. On the other hand, Ragunath said there was no need for the police to take such a harsh position because it is not a threat against national security or the government. "This is all part of the democracy process. The government has to accept this. Demonstration is a sign of good democracy. We should be proud that besides having a strong ruling party, we also have a vibrant opposition. "The ruling power should go to the cause of the issues that people are raising. Obviously, there is discontent. Whether it is valid or how big it is, it is another issue. The government should take it in a stride and allow for dissent," he added.

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2. Speaker defends police action against Bersih leaders

KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 12, 2007): Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Ramli Ngah Talib defended the police action against Bersih activists on the steps of Parliament House yesterday "because it is a restricted area". As such, he said, the police can arrest those whom they believed pose a security threat. "Parliament is gazetted as a protected area under the Protected Areas and Protected Places Act 1959 and it was the thus rthe esponsibility of the police, and specifically the Inspector-General of Police, to ensure security and safety of Parliament grounds. Under Section 4 (2) of the Act, a person in a protected area must comply with directions to regulate his movement and conduct as may be given by an authorised officer. Special measures, he said, could be taken to control such person's movements and conduct as deemed fit, he said. Ramli, who made his remarks at the end of the question and answer session in the Dewan Rakyat (Parliament) today, said the police could also check and arrest a person who entered a protected area if he or she fails to comply with such directions or if they posed a threat. "This is to ensure that security is maintained and proceedings are not disrupted. However, I will discuss with the police on the procedures for the future," he added.
Parliamentary Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang (DAP-Ipoh Timur) said Parliament is a place of sanctity and thus cannot be encroached upon. "Does this mean that MPs too will get arrested one day in Parliament?" he asked.

Ramli, however, assured Lim that he will talk to police about the procedures involved. Later in a press conference, DAP chairman Karpal Singh (DAP-Bukit Gelugor) said arrests within Parliament grounds had never occurred during his tenure as an elected representative until yesterday. The Speaker should have defended the sanctity and honour of Parliament. I regret that he didn't do so," he said. Deputy Internal Security Minister Datuk Mohd Johari Baharum said Parliament House is not a place of refuge for those who are on the wrong side of the law. He said police detained PAS election director Datuk Mustafa Ali after probing the reason for his presence in Parliament. Mustafa was one of dozens of politicians and activists who were arrested by the police when they showed up at Parliament to submit a memorandum to protest against the Constitution (Amendment) Bill to extend Election Commission members' retirement age from 65 to 66.

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December 12, 2007 17:14 PM
Parliament House Not A Place To Hide - Johari

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 12 (Bernama) -- The Parliament House is not a place of refuge for those who are on the wrong side of the law, said Deputy Internal Security Minister Datuk Mohd Johari Baharum. They could not use the building to avoid arrest or other actions by the authorities. Mohd Johari said this in reply to Datuk Kamarudin Jaffar (PAS-Tumpat) in the Dewan Rakyat here today. Kamarudin had queried about yesterday's arrest of PAS election director Datuk Mustafa Ali who was said to have been given security clearance to enter Parliament House as a guest of Salahuddin Ayub (PAS-Kubang Kerian). According to Mohd Johari, policemen detained Mustafa after probing the reason behind his presence in Parliament. "The police knew what they were doing. They've spoken to him and it's my understanding that he was released yesterday," he said. Mustafa was one of dozens of politicians and activists who were arrested by the police when they showed up at Parliament to submit a memorandum to protest against the Constitution (Amendment) Bill to extend Election Commission members' retirement age from 65 to 66
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Malaysiakini has the early arrest stories without some details & the numbers of arrest was put at 26 whereas the official figure is 29

MORE PICS – 29 ARRESTED - Opposition Leaders, Activists & Bersih Protesters; Memo to Wan Azizah Instead of Speaker; Nazri’s Joke? – Arrest to protect MPs
16 opposition MPs walked out During amendment Vote – 180 2/3 Majority

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Senior Opposition Leaders Among 29 Arrested For Illegal Assembly

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 11 (Bernama) -- The police have arrested 29 people, including Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) secretary-general Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim and PKR information chief Tian Chua, for gathering illegally in front of the Parliament building here today. Deputy Inspector-General of Police Datuk Ismail Omar, when contacted by Bernama, confirmed the arrests. He said those arrested were from opposition parties and non-governmental organisations and that they had defied a court order prohibiting the illegal assembly. Among the others arrested were PAS treasurer Mohd Hatta Ramli and PAS central committee member Dr Lo'Lo Ghazali. Meanwhile, five more representatives of opposition leaders and NGOs headed by PAS elections director Datuk Mustafa Ali were also arrested after they entered Parliament House without permission to hand over a memorandum to members of parliament calling for the rejection of the Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2007 which extends by one year to 66 years the retirement age of members of the Election Commission (EC).

Others were Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram) executive director Yap Swee Seng, a member of the Writers Alliance of Media Independence Wong Chin Huat, founder of Community Communication Centre Mein Lor, and Centre for Independent Journalism executive director V. Gayathry. They were also among those who participated in an illegal gathering organised by the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih) in the federal capital on Nov 10.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Aziz, when asked about the matter, said the police had the right to arrest anyone within the compound of Parliament if they were found to be a threat to security.

ABOVE & BELOW: Despite the many Blocks into Parliament, many sneaked in as guests

He said that the group which entered the Parliament building had been given entry passes and were the guests of Salahuddin Ayub (PAS-Kubang Kerian) but they were found to have intruded into Parliament's security zone and insisted on handing over the memorandum. Nazri said the group had also failed to inform him, as minister in charge of Parliament, about their real intention in going into the august house. The four of them, who were arrested at 1pm in front of the main entrance to Parliament House, did not put up a struggle when they were placed under arrest by policemen in mufti. However, Mustafa, a former member of parliament, who was arrested 45 minutes later while he was exiting the Parliament building, was seen struggling with and shoving the policemen before he was arrested and taken away in a van.

ABOVE: The top police Brass briefed on Actions to be taken

Among the opposition members of parliament who were with Mustafa and who were seen objecting to the police action were Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang, M.Kulasegaran (DAP-Ipoh Timur), Teresa Kok (DAP-Seputeh) and Chong Eng (DAP-Bukit Mertajam).

ABOVE & BELOW: The police top brass were at hand to give the announcement to disperse and the arrests followed

The memorandum was in relation to the Dewan Rakyat sitting today to approve the Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2007. The bill was passed by a majority of 189 votes. Those arrested were taken to the Kuala Lumpur police contingent headquarters to have their statements recorded. They were released in stages from noon to night. Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department Deputy Director I Datuk Acryl Sani, when contacted, said they were released unconditionally with police bail for a week. "They will be charged in court next Tuesday," he said. Last night, the police obtained a court order to stop Bersih supporters from gathering at the Parliament building to hand over the memorandum. Following the gathering, several roads around the federal capital experienced massive traffic jams this morning, including the road from Selayang

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Dewan Rakyat Passes Bill To Extend Retirement Age Of EC Members

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 11 (Bernama) -- The Dewan Rakyat today passed the Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2007 which extends by one year to 66 years the retirement age of members of the Election Commission (EC). The bill was passed after a division was called and the 189 Barisan Nasional (BN) members of parliament (MPs) vote in favour of the amendment. There were no votes against the bill, said Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Ramli Ngah Talib when he announced the result of the voting.

Before the voting began at 4.20pm, 16 of the 19 opposition MPs walked out of the house, citing police action against five supporters of the Coalition for Free and Fair Elections (Bersih) as the reason. The three other opposition MPs -- Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail (PKR-Permatang Pauh), Ismail Noh (PAS-Pasir Mas) and Abdul Fatah Harun (PAS-Rantau Panjang) -- did not attend the proceedings in the afternoon. Bersih supporters began to gather outside Parliament as early at 9am to hand over a memorandum protesting the amendment to extend the retirement age of the EC members. After waiting for more than three hours, the group entered the premises of Parliament House and handed over the memorandum to Dr Wan Azizah, who is also president of Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR). Five members of the group were arrested as they stepped out of the gates of Parliament House.

In his winding-up speech, which took only 10 minutes, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Aziz (ABOVE) said the arrests were necessary to ensure the safety of MPs. He said Bersih had the intention to interrupt parliamentary proceedings and disturb the peace as the presence of its supporters demanded police control of the access road to Parliament House.

Mohamed Nazri also said that he did not wish to give a long speech as enough had been said on the matter of extension of the retirement age of EC members, and that the opposition MPs were not around as well to hear what the government had to say. In tabling the bill earlier, on behalf of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, he said the amendment was in accordance with the extension of the retirement age, from 65 to 66, of the judges of the High Court, Court of Appeal and Federal Court in 2005.

[...]

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Tuesday December 11, 2007
MYT 9:15:53 PM
Opposition MPs stage walkout

KUALA LUMPUR: The Dewan Rakyat passed the Constitution (Amendment) Bill with more than two-thirds majority, with the Opposition MPs boycotting. The Bill seeks to extend the retirement age of Election Commission (EC) members from 65 to 66. Since the amendment involves the Federal Constitution, a block voting was carried out after 16 opposition MPs,(BELOW) led by Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang, staged a walkout at about 3.15pm in protest against the Bill.

Except for Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail (Keadilan - Permatang Pauh), Abdul Fatah Haron (PAS - Rantau Panjang) and Ismail Noh (PAS - Pasir Mas) who were not present in the hall, the MPs walked out before Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz replied to debate with regards to the amendment. Earlier, in tabling the Bill for a second reading, Nazri said seeking to extend the retirement age of EC members was in accordance with the Government’s move to extend the retirement ages of the judiciary. He said the extension covered the EC chairman, his deputy and five other members. He noted that the Government had approved the extension of the retirement ages of High Court, Appeals Court and Federal Courts judges from 65 to 66 years in 2005.


“The appointment process of EC members is similar to that of judges. “Article 122b and 125 of the Federal Constitution cited that the retirement age of judges and EC members is 65. “In line with the extension of the retirement ages of public service officials from 55 to 56 years old, Article 125 of the Federal Constitution has been amended in this Bill to provide an extension of the retirement age of EC officials to 66 years old once the Bill is enforced,” he said.

On the arrest of several people outside Parliament House, Nazri said the authorities had received information that some outsiders might go to Parliament to cause disturbances. “The police are doing the legitimate thing. It’s only the opposition members who are trying to justify their actions by walking out of the House. “They know that they will lose if a general election is called.
“So they want to find a reason to show as if something is not right with the Election Commission,” he said. Lim had questioned the need to rush the Bill, which he said might raise suspicions about the country’s electoral process.

He said the DAP would be filing an application at the High Court today to revise a magistrate’s court order that prohibited a gathering at Parliament House Tuesday. He said the act of the police in arresting several people in the Parliament compound was in contempt of Parliament. He said the MPs had staged a walkout to protest against the Bill, which did not have any electoral reform, and the arrests in the Parliament building.
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30 nabbed

Charles Ramendran, B.Suresh Ram, Husna Yusop and Eunice Au;theSUN
KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 11, 2007): About 30 people, including leaders of the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih), were arrested today when they defied a court order and attempted to hand over a memorandum (ABOVE) to oppose the constitutional amendment to extend the retirement age of Election Commission members from 65 to 66. Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) treasurer Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim, its information chief Tian Chua and PAS treasurer Dr Hatta Ramli were among those arrested. However, by 5pm, at least half of those detained, including Khalid, were released. Police checkpoints and closure of roads leading to Parliament building today caused massive jams in the city, and thwarted attempts by Bersih supporters to reach the vicinity. However, despite the roadblocks and the heavy presence of police personnel led by Sentul OCPD Asst Comm Ahmad Sofian Md Yassin, who took their up positions as early as 4am, several Bersih leaders tried to enter Parliament.

Chua (ABOVE) was the first to be arrested at 10.40am when he arrived in a Proton Tiara driven by PKR staff Abdul Razak Ismail. (BELOW)

The two coolly drove past dozens of policemen standing guard along the road leading to Parliament but had to stop the car after about 50m. Abdul Razak alighted several minutes after being ordered to do so by the police, but Chua refused to budge. Three policemen carried him from the car and tried to put him on his feet, but he lay flat on his back on the road. Several policemen then carried him into a patrol car (BELOW) which took him to the state police headquarters on Jalan Hang Tuah. Abdul Razak was taken away in another vehicle.

Fifteen minutes later, Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) secretary-general S.Arutchelvam and another supporter who were on foot, were arrested as they neared the road junction leading to Parliament. Hatta, together with PAS women's wing head Dr Lo'lo Ghazali, PSM president Dr Nasir Hashim and PKR's Ang Yok Hai, who had walked from the Mahameru highway interchange, were arrested at 11.15am.

At noon, at least 40 journalists, who spotted Khalid (ABOVE) turning up alone, converged around the PKR treasurer. He was arrested just as he was about to leave in a four-wheel drive. Sentul OCPD ACP Ahmad Sofian Md Yassin said all the road closures were removed by 6.30pm but police would continue to guard Parliament House. City Deputy CPO SAC I Patrick Jijes Sigore, when contacted at about 6pm, said the Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan will issue a statement on the arrests that were carried out. According to a PKR statement, among those arrested were two journalists, Centre for Independent Journalism executive director V.Gayathry, and Writers Alliance for Media Independence chairman Wong Chin Huat. It said the two were part of a five-member delegation which handed the memorandum to Parliament.

They handed it to opposition members of Parliament, Datuk Kamaruddin Jaafar (PAS-Tumpat), Salahuddin Ayub (PAS-Kubang Kerian), Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah(ABOVE, receiving on behalf) Wan Ismail (PKR-Permatang Pauh) and Teresa Kok (DAP-Seputeh). The other three in the delegation were the head of PAS Research Centre Dr Dzulkifli Ahmad, Suara Rakyat Malaysia executive director Yap Swee Seng and Harakah advertising head Mokhtar Rozaidi.

They five were released by police by 4pm.As at press time, PKR said 16 people including a 13-year-old boy were still being held by police in their headquarters.

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ABOVE: Parliament was "Upside" down on Monday

Blackest day for Parliament in 50 years

This is the blackest day for Parliament in 50 years.In utter contempt of the sanctity of Parliament and the honour and dignity of Members of Parliament, the police arrested over 20 people in the parliamentary precincts.

Among those arrested were PAS leaders Mustapha Ali and Dr. Hatta Ramli, Parti Keadilan Rakyat secretary-general Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim and Information chief Tian Chua, Parti Sosialis Malaysia protem chairman Dr. Nasir Hashim as well as activists from the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih) including Suaram executive director Yap Swee Seng, Centre for Independent Journalism executive director V Gayathry, Pusat Komas programme director Mien Lor, Writers Alliance for Media Independence chairperson Wong Chin Huat, PAS Research Centre director Dr Dzulkifli Ahmad and Harakah advertising manager Mokhtar Rosaidi.

I was eye-witness to the police arrest of Mustapha, Yap Swee Seng, Wong Chin Huat and Gayathry within the precincts of Parliament. In fact, I was accompanying Yap, Wong and Gayathry out of Parliament when the police abused its powers to effect the arrest within parliamentary precincts during lunch-break.

ABOVE: Opposition leader Lim K S with MP Karpal Singh; lodged a strong protest

I protested strongly against such a most shameful episode in the annals of Malaysian history in 50 years when Dewan Rakyat resumed sitting after lunch recess, proposing a privilege motion to direct the Police to release all arrested within parliamentary precincts - as the police arrests should have been made outside Parliament. However, there was no support whatsoever from any Barisan Nasional MP or Minister. Nine DAP MPs and one PAS MP also met the Speaker, Tan Sri Ramli Ngah to lodge the strongest possible protest and he said he would seek clarification from the Inspector-of Police, Tan Sri Musa Hassan.

The blackest day for Parliament in 50 years after the Black Sunday of Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in his fifth year as fifth Prime Minister of Malaysia.

December 11, 2007 21:24 PM

Immigration Denies Anwar Held

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 11 (Bernama) -- The Immigration Department today denied that it detained Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim at the KL International Airport upon his return from overseas this morning. Immigration Director of Enforcement Datuk Ishak Mohamed said Anwar had used the normal immigration counter at the airport. "He was not detained at the counter.

Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah(ABOVE) told reporters

“They held him and ask him to wait. They did not allow him to go pass immigration. They ask him to wait and said they need to have a chop from above”

He was allowed to leave the airport," he said when contacted by Bernama. Anwar, in a media statement this morning, said he was held by an immigration officer who informed him that his name appeared on the "suspects list" but without any elaboration. The PKR advisor claimed that he was detained temporarily at the airport before his passport was returned to him and he was allowed to leave for home.

December 11, 2007 16:56 PM

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Anwar detained by immigration, dozens of Opposition leaders, members nabbed

KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 11, 2007): Immigration officers today detained de facto opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim and police arrested a human rights lawyer and about a dozen opposition leaders, amid growing complaints the government was harassing opposition politicians. Immigration officials detained former deputy premier Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahimin the KL International Airport upon returning from Istanbul via Singapore before being cleared for entry, his lawyer William Leong said. "It's just a clear harassment," Anwar told Reuters. "It's a desperate attempt to harass and intimidate the public and deflect the attention from major issues of corruption among Umno leaders and the judiciary."

In the incident that lasted about half an hour, Anwar said he was stopped because his name was on immigration's "suspects list" although he was not informed why. Anwar said he was allowed to leave after a senior immigration officer came out to speak to him, but his name remains on the list, which could bar him from leaving Malaysia. "No grounds were given," Anwar's lawyer Leong said of the detention. "There appears to have been some note which put the official on alert to stop him from coming in and to detain him until he obtained approval from the superior." Police today arrested human rights lawyer P. Uthayakumar who helped organise 10,000 ethnic Indians to protest last month against racial discrimination. The 46-year-old Uthayakumar would be charged later today with sedition for statements he made in a book, his aide said without elaborating. In the Malaysian capital today, dozens of policemen blocked the main entrance to the parliament building to foil an opposition-led rally demanding free and fair elections. Riot police, armed with batons and shields and backed by a water cannon, took positions close to the parliament while vehicles passing through were checked.

Police arrested about a dozen opposition leaders, including the leader of Anwar's Keadilan (Justice) party, Tian Chua, after the car he was travelling in broke through a police cordon and headed toward parliament to hand over a memo demanding reforms in the electoral process. Tian was arrested after he defied police orders to leave the car. Police then handcuffed and carried him out of the car before bundling him into a waiting police patrol car, Reuters reports today. A statement released by PKR's information bureau said Anwar, the de facto party leader, was detained and held for questioning by immigration as his passport was blacklisted. After being questioned for an hour, Anwar was released. Meanwhile, BERSIH, the coalition of civil society organisations and political parties were supposed to hand over a memorandum this morning to the Parliament Speaker Tan Sri Ramli Ngah Talib and Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Mohd Nazri Aziz.

However, the road leading to Parliament was closed. A delegation which was supposed to travel in a convoy from PAS headquarters in Chowkit to Parliament was surrounded by police on Jalan Raja Laut. About noon, PKR treasure Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim was also arrested by police while leaving Parliament house. It was not immediately known why he was arrested. Persons arrested thus far: Tain Chua PKR Information chief); Razak Ismail; A.Arutchelvan (Socialist Party Malaysia secretary-general) and Sivarajan (Socialist Party Malaysia central committee member). They have been taken to the Kula Lumpur police headquarters.
Updated: 12:11PM Tue, 11 Dec 2007

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December 11, 2007 14:13 PM

Police Break Up Unlawful Assembly, Arrest Opposition Leaders
KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 11 (Bernama) -- Police today dispersed a crowd of supporters of the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih), masterminded by opposition parties, who defied a restraining order against them from gathering at the Parliament House. In the move, police arrested 12 people at several locations near the area including Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) information chief Tian Chua who managed to sneak passed a police roadblock at the main access to the Parliament House. A man, who was with Tian Chua in a car, was also arrested.

Police said they also arrested PKR secretary-general Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim and Pas central committee member Dr Lo'Lo' Mohd Ghazali. Police personnel, including from the Federal Reserve Unit, were stationed at several locations near the Parliament House this morning and they inspected vehicles heading towards the Parliament House's main entrance.

Dang Wangi OCPD ACP Zulkarnain Abdul Rahman told reporters that the police had to arrest several people who took part in the illegal assembly from 9am after they showed stubbornness to enter the Parliament House compound.Yesterday, the Kuala Lumpur police obtained a court order to stop Bersih supporters from gathering at the Parliament House supposedly to deliver a memorandum against a constitutional amendment today.

= == = == = Comingup next post next the Hindraf leader who was released on bail and rearrested & handcuffed

He said they were followed and arrested by Cheras police after raising bail.

"I asked the police why they are following us and what is the arrest for. They said there is an instruction from the IGP (Inspector-General of Police) to arrest him to take statement on an allegedly seditious [statement] made by him but the police did not give any details," he said.