Don’t bow to political pressure, opposition tells cops on LTTE-linked arrests
Posted on October 11th, 2019
Minderjeet Kaur Courtesy FMT News
KUALA LUMPUR: The opposition today called on the police not to bow to pressure” in arresting political leaders involved in the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), after DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said he was assured that no more DAP leaders would be arrested.
Opposition Leader Ismail Sabri Yaakob said LTTE remained illegal in this country and Malaysia should not be made the base for any terrorism activities.
We view this as a serious issue,” Ismail told reporters at the parliament lobby.
He said the opposition bloc, including those from Sabah and Sarawak, were concerned over Lim’s statement that he had been guaranteed” there would be no more arrests from DAP since the crackdown started yesterday.
We feel this is an involvement by the politician. I hope the police will not be pressured. The rakyat support the police on this,” he said.
Ismail said the opposition members would continue to support the police should they make further arrests, including those concerning ministers or deputy ministers, allegedly involved with LTTE.
He said they also wanted the Attorney-General’s Chambers to come up with fair decisions after the police had completed their investigation.
MIC leader S Saravanan, who was among the Barisan Nasional and PAS MPs present, said action should be taken against those proven to have links with LTTE.
Ismail said the issue was not about race but about the security of the country.
He said DAP should not equate LTTE fighters with Palestinian freedom fighters because the Palestinians were being victimised.
” The Palestinians are fighting for their rights and are chased from their land. It is not only about religion but also about human rights,” he said.
Two DAP assemblymen are among the seven detained by police under the Sosma Act 2012 [Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012].
Earlier today, Penang Deputy Chief Minister II P Ramasamy, also from DAP, who had been public about his sympathies for ethnic Tamils in Sri Lanka, conceded that he too may be arrested.