Police probe circulation of anti-FTA brochures
The Star | Monday June 25, 2007
Police probe circulation of anti-FTA brochures
KUALA KANGSAR : Police are investigating the distribution of pamphlets protesting the signing of Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between Malaysia and the United States.
Yesterday, dozens of such pamphlets with the words ‘Jangan Biarkan Dato’ Seri Rafidah Aziz Menjual Negara Kepada Amerika Melalui Perjanjian FTA ! Tolak FTA Perjanjian Perda-gangan Bebas Malaysia-Amerika’ (Don’t allow International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Rafidah Aziz to sell the nation to the United States via the FTA Agreement ! Reject Malaysia-US FTA) were distributed by a group comprising non-governmental organisation members at the Pasar Minggu (Sunday market) here.
Kuala Kangsar OCPD Supt Zakaria Pagan said at least 40 sets of the four-page pamphlets were confiscated from the location.
Supt Zakaria said the group calling themselves ‘Gabungan Rakyat’ were spotted at the site at about 10.30am by a team of policemen who requested them to go to the police station for further investigation as the pamphlets did not contain particulars of the printer and publisher as required by law.
However the group of between 10 and 15 people were unhappy with the action of the police, said Supt Zakaria.
“Unsatisfied with the action taken by the police, the group led by Dr Michel Jayakumar Devaraj lodged police reports and this will be investigated,” said Supt Zakaria.
Supt Zakaria said that after lodging their reports, members of the group left the police station at about 3pm.
Dr Devaraj of Parti Sosialis Malaysia maintained that there was no law against distributing pamphlets.
“We lodged the reports as we felt intimidated by the police action,” he said.
When asked to elaborate, he said there was no need for the police to send policemen armed with semi-automatic rifles to the site.
