Cops haul up Pak Samad over Janji Demokrasi rally
UPDATED @ 06:06:46 PM 05-09-2012
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 5 — National Laureate Datuk A. Samad Said was today told by police to present himself for questioning as part of investigations into the “Janji Demokrasi” last Thursday.
Samad was one of the organisers of the “Janji Demokrasi” rally held on the eve of Merdeka Day. The police had declared the gathering an illegal assembly.
“Pak Samad (picture) just called me to say that he received a notice from the police requesting him to go to IPD Dang Wangi,” said Mandeep Singh, a coordinator for the Janji Demokrasi coalition.
Samad was asked to show up at the Dang Wangi police headquarters at 6pm this evening.
“The police called to ask him to help in investigations relating to last week’s “Janji Demokrasi” rally last week,” Mandeep said.
The coalition’s spokesman Hishamuddin Rais said, “We believe Pak Samad was called up regarding the reading of the “Janji Demokrasi” poem which was recited for the first time at Dataran Merdeka at the rally...”
Samad had penned the poem for the rally.
Hishamuddin said Samad was unable to meet the police today as he has previous engagements, but they will get an alternative date.
The rally, which was previously named “Janji Bersih”, was organised by a coalition of 47 non-government organisations to remind the government of electoral reform promises that have yet to be introduced.
The rally was a peaceful event that was marred by controversial incidents, such as the waving of a pre-Independence flag Sang Saka Malaya instead of the national flag by a few individuals.
A group of individuals were also spotted stepping on pictures of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor.
The rally organisers have since then spoken strongly against the picture-stepping incident, saying it is “unacceptable.”
A blogger had admitted to waving the Sang Saka Malaya flag together with his friend to educate the public, but denied that they were asking for the national flag to be replaced.
