YOURSAY | ‘Prior to her detention, Maria was a little-known activist.’

IGP: Maria’s detention due to documents found during raid

Kim Quek: Inspector-general of police (IGP) Khalid Abu Bakar claimed that the arrest of Maria Chin Abdullah was not a political move to sabotage the Bersih 5 rally but purely due to the “discovery of documents” during the raid in her Bersih office.

If that is the case, why did the police conduct the raid precisely on the eve of the rally since the allegation of donation from the Open Society Foundations (OSF) was made many days ago?

How could Maria or Bersih be accused of breaching Section 124C of the Penal Code for having sabotaged parliamentary democracy using violent and unconstitutional means when Bersih has an impeccable record as a peaceful movement to advocate fair elections and clean government throughout its 10 years of existence, while OSF is an organisation to specifically promote open and participatory government for more than three decades?

Khalid also claimed that Maria was arrested under Sosma (Security Offences (Special Measures] Act) “in order to unravel all evidence, computers and documents seized”. But, didn’t BN leaders vow in Parliament that Sosma would be used exclusively to deal with terrorists and not to be used against political dissidents?

Must Maria be detained in solitary confinement in a tiny, windowless dungeon, with lights on around the clock, and wooden planks as bed, and kept up to 28 days, so that the police could go through the documents and computers seized?

Come on, Khalid, do not underestimate the intelligence of Malaysians. In the eyes of Malaysians and people all over the world, what you have done is an unforgivable crime for your torture under inhumane conditions of one of the finest advocates of democracy and human rights.

Unless Maria is set free immediately, you and your political masters will have to pay for the sins so committed.

FairMind: I think the IGP did a good turn for Bersih leader Maria Chin Abdullah. Prior to her Sosma detention, Maria was a little-known activist.

Due to the IGP's foolishness in trying to please his political masters, this detention has drawn the world's attention to this mild single mother of three children and galvanised Malaysians from all walks of life in the fight for clean elections and against corruption.

Never has Malaysia witnessed the solidarity and support of so many Malaysians, and women marching to Parliament demanding for her release. There is growing number of supporters attending her candlelight vigil every night since her detention.

Maria was even covered in the prestigious Time magazine. Najib and his cohorts are going to lose public support over the IGP's action.

Telestai!: "The arrest has nothing to with politics. Nothing to do with Bersih 5. It (the arrest) was for a potential threat to national security," Khalid explained.

Yes, right. Tell that to the marines.

6th Generation Immigrant: Would a 60-year-old widow fighting against the Malaysian government, organising and heading an anti-government event, and incidentally knowing that she could be arrested anywhere or anytime through badly-enacted abusive laws, keep incriminating documents in the Bersih office?

Indeed, 1MDB has more incriminating money trails, something which our attorney-general (AG) and Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) have failed to sniff out or locate, but they could find a small piece of paper in Bersih’s computers?

Inworldnotof: You dare not investigate all the allegations of behemoth thievery happening right under your very nose, but you bully this upright lady who cares enough for Malaysia to do what she and her team are doing, ie, mobilising hundreds of thousands of Malaysians to come down to the city squares and streets to vocalise our concerns for the way our nation is being mauled and mangled like there is no tomorrow.

How can you look yourself in the mirror or sleep after each day's work, doing what you do?

Rick Teo: If receiving funds from foreigners is a Sosma offence then, Najib should also be investigated for doing so with the Arabs.

The IGP should not exercise double standards. Why did he not investigate Najib under Sosma, especially since he admitted that the funds were from the Arabs.

Negarawan: "There were enough reasons for us to investigate her under Section 124C of the Penal Code, so we arrested her after the raid," said Khalid.

More than seven countries have compelling reasons to investigate and indict the perpetrators behind the 1MDB mega scandal, but the IGP closed all investigations within Malaysia and continues to drag his feet.

Now he says that he has reason to arrest and persecute Maria, a champion of social justice and non-violence, under the draconian Sosma law because he found "some documents".

So the IGP can find these "documents" so quickly and conveniently, but he cannot find a single evidence against the 1MDB perpetrators when seven countries have found enough evidence to implicate them.

Clearly the IGP has zero credibility and integrity. May God's justice and truth prevail in this country.

Discovery: Khalid, let me ask you what did you find in her house that is so incriminating? Her shopping list, I presume.

LooneyTune Film: The document must be the letter from the Islamic State thanking Maria for her allegiance to ISIL and requesting her to carry out "activities detrimental to Malaysian parliamentary democracy".

Ask red-shirts leader Jamal Md Yunos; he saw it before the IGP.

Worldly Wise: There is no need to detain her while investigating the documents. The AG must charge her or release her.

Detaining her on some pretext or other shows vindictiveness. Why is MO1 (Malaysian Official 1) not detained pending investigations into the RM2.6 billion payment into his personal bank account.

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