Halt Police Intimidation Of Stateless Kids Sabah Activists Psm

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PSM urged for an immediate end to police “intimidation” after a teacher and eight students from Sekolah Alternatif - a school for stateless children - were arrested and detained for two weeks.
“Why were nine people, including three underage students detained and remanded for 14 days?” asked party secretary-general A Sivarajan.
“Any issue pertaining to self-documentation should be managed in a way that helps students instead of arresting and remanding them.
“This is intimidation against people who peacefully exercise their democratic rights,” he said in a statement today.
The arrests were after a rally at Menara Kinabalu in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. Sivarajan questioned if the authorities acted proportionately when they were informed of the rally ahead of time and officers were present to monitor.
He urged for those arrested to be released immediately without being charged.
PSM secretary-general A Sivarajan“Intimidation against activists who voice community issues must also be halted immediately.”
On Saturday (June 15), Kota Kinabalu district police chief Kasim Muda, who confirmed the arrests, said “nine undocumented individuals” were detained following an inspection conducted at the #KamiMahuAirSabah rally.
He also said the teacher, Syahfeeq Rondin, and students had participated in the protest to highlight the state’s water woes.
Where is the justice?
However, the founder of Sabah-based NGO Borneo Komrad, Mukmin Nantang, said their presence was part of a larger road tour to empower the local stateless community.
“These eight students represent hundreds of thousands of marginalised and oppressed children on our land.
“They are willing to risk (being arrested) to send a message to Malaysians and the world, to look at Sabah and see this tyranny happening for decades since the formation of Malaysia.
“Where is justice for the community? This is not just about the latest arrests but the daily arrests and oppression of their community,” he said.
Recently, Mukmin also alleged that eviction operations were carried out against the Bajau Laut community on seven islands in Semporna, including Pulau Bohey Dulang, Pulau Maiga, Pulau Bodgaya, Pulau Sebangkat, and Pulau Sibuan.
On Friday (June 14), activists piled on the pressure for the government to halt further oppression of the Bajau Laut community, warning that they would take to the streets if it continued. - Mkini

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