KUALA LUMPUR, April 7 — Despite the threat of arrest, lawmakers from the federal opposition went ahead this morning with their planned march to protest the arrest of PKR vice-president Rafizi Ramli.

The lawmakers, numbering to about 30, kicked off the protest at around 9am, walking the short distance from the gates of Parliament to the Bukit Aman police headquarters.

Among the MPs spotted in the crowd are Gelang Patah MP Lim Kit Siang, Opposition Leader and Permatang Pauh MP Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, Seremban MP Anthony Loke, Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua, Sungai Petani MP Datuk Johari Abdul, Kelana Jaya MP Wong Chen, Pokok Sena MP Datuk Mahfuz Omar, Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad and Kuala Terengganu MP Datuk Raja Kamarul Bahrain Shah among others.

DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng was seen joining the protest later.

 

 

As they marched, the group chanted “Bebas Rafizi” and “Pecat IGP”, which in English means “free Rafizi” and “sack the IGP”.

The group led by PKR’s parliamentary whip Johari later handed over a memorandum seeking Rafizi’s release to the police at Bukit Aman.

After receiving the document, the police informed the lawmakers that they were in violation of Section 9(1) of the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012 and that action will be taken.

Opposition lawmakers hand over a memorandum to the police seeking PKR’s Rafizi Ramli’s release, at Bukit Aman, Kuala Lumpur April 7, 2016. — Picture by Saw Siow Feng
Opposition lawmakers hand over a memorandum to the police seeking PKR’s Rafizi Ramli’s release, at Bukit Aman, Kuala Lumpur April 7, 2016. — Picture by Saw Siow Feng

The lawmakers then dispersed and walked back to the Parliament building.

Yesterday, Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar warned the lawmakers that they could be arrested if they proceeded with their march this morning.

The national police chief noted that the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012 prohibits moving assemblies or street protests of any kind, and advised the parliamentarians planning to make the march to observe the law.

Khalid also said that action would be taken if they gathered in front of Bukit Aman.

Rafizi was nabbed on Tuesday by a group of policemen just as he was leaving Parliament.

He is currently held on a three-day remand order that the police obtained yesterday.