Suaram sends memo for charge against trainee to be dropped
PUTRAJAYA, June 5 —Suaram today handed a memorandum to the Attorney-General’s Chambers, asking it to drop the charge against Suaram trainee Tan Kong Hai who was arrested while putting up Bersih 3.0 posters at Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) in Penang in April.
Suaram executive director E. Nalini claimed the charge against Tan was intimidation towards an activist as he was only putting up posters on the gathering at USM to create awareness on the demand for fair and clean elections.
“Tan was at the USM campus on the invitation of his friends. There was no trespassing and his action had caused no injury to anyone,” she told reporters after handing over the memorandum to A-G’s Chambers’ public relations officer Nasrudin Mahmud here.
Also present to lend support were national laureate Datuk A. Samad Said and Bersih activist Hishamuddin Rais.
Tan, 21, a student at an institution of higher learning, was doing practical training at Penang Suaram when he was arrested by USM security guards while putting up posters on the Bersih gathering around a lecture theatre at 2.30am.
He was charged in court on May 7 under section 441 of the Penal Code and allowed bail of RM1,500. — Bernama
