PETALING JAYA, July 23 ― The application by controversial bloggers Alvin Tan and Vivian Lee to challenge a Session Court’s decision to deny them bail is set to be heard this Thursday.
Chong Joo Tian, the lawyer representing the duo, popularly known as “Alvivi”, reportedly told the media that the hearing before the Kuala Lumpurt High Court will be presided by Datuk Mohd Azman Husin.
Last Thursday, the duo claimed trial in the Sessions Court in Kuala Lumpur to three separate charges under the Sedition Act, the Film Censorship Act and the Penal Code.
Following arguments by the prosecution, judge Murtazadi Amran declined bail for both defendants.
In their application for review, Tan and Lee argue that they have no prior convictions and the prosecution’s assertion of a propensity to repeat their actions, if granted bail, was baseless.
They further contend that their access to computers was severely curbed by the seizure of such equipment by the Malaysian Communication and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) and bail conditions could also be set to bar such activity.
Both added that their families are based in the country and they were therefore not flight risks. They also said their passports would be surrendered, if so directed, for the duration of their trial.
Tan is currently being held at Sungai Buloh Prison while Lee is housed at Kajang Prison.
Better known as “Alvivi”, a contraction of their two first names, 25-year-old Tan and Lee, 24, had stirred up a hornet’s nest when they posted a mock “Selamat Berbuka Puasa” (breaking of fast) greeting on their Facebook page that showed them eating “bak kut teh”, and describing the soupy pork dish as “wangi, enak, menyelerakan” (fragrant, delicious, appetising).
The picture also included a “Halal” logo, although the consumption of pork is forbidden to Muslims.
They were hauled in for questioning by the MCMC last week, released and picked up again by the police for displaying the picture deemed offensive to Muslims.
But the swift action of the authorities towards the couple’s post barely a week ago drew Pakatan Rakyat lawmakers to note the contrasting lack of action against far-right group Perkasa’s Datuk Ibrahim Ali over threats to burn copies of the Malay-language bibles in January and his deputy, Datuk Zulkifli Noordin, for videos in which he appeared to mock Hindus.
The couple had first courted controversy over the videos and photographs of their sexual exploits that had been posted on a now-defunct blog.
