Persatuan Kesedaran Komuniti Selangor (Empower) condemns the use of the Sedition Act to arrest Wong Chin Huat.  It was undemocratic and an uncalled for action on the part of the Malaysian Royal Police and the government.

On 6 April, Prime Minister, YAB Najib Razak, in his speech on “Policy, Politics and the Meida – the Way Forward”, made a commitment and a call to “all parties, all political leaders and all people who want to engage in a new national conversation about the future of our nation – including the media – to do so in a way that respects opinions of others; that values discussion and discourse; and that recognizes that opponents need not be enemies, that differences of opinion do not come from malicious motives, but from a deep and abiding concern for the future of Malaysia. (www.1Malayisa.com).
It is, therefore, ironic that the arrest of Wong was made, shortly after the Prime Minister’s speech. The arrest undermines the very sentiment of that call and commitment to respect differing opinions.
Last night ( May 2009), Wong Chin Huat was denied access to his lawyers and was whisked off to a location which the police refused to reveale to his lawyers. To date, the public and civil society has no knowledge of the charges made against Wong Chin Huat.
If the Prime Minister is sincere to build democracy in Malaysia, then he should make the bold move to release Wong immediately unconditionally.
Freedom of speech is guaranteed in our Federal Constitution.  As long as Wong Chin Huat is not free, the Perak leadership is not restored back to its rightful elected representatives, and as long as draconian laws still dictate our freedoms, we urge the public to support the 1BlackMalaysia campaign, “paint every state, territory, town and village black”.
Issued by
Persatuan Kesedaran Komuniti, Selangor
Maria Chin Abdullah
Executive Director