KUCHING, 8 May 2009: Padungan assemblyperson Dominique Ng and nine other Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) members, including Ng’s wife, were released this morning.
Kuching District Police Chief ACP Wong Wai Loong confirmed their release.
They were arrested last night for staging a candlelight vigil at the Kuching Waterfront next to the Main Bazaar here, without a police permit.
No untoward incident occurred during the so-called vigil, he told Bernama here.
Dressed in black, Ng led the group in support of PKR counterparts in Perak as well as to protest against the arrest of Bersih activist Wong Chin Huat, who was detained on 5 May and released today.
Meanwhile in KUALA LUMPUR, all five lawyers arrested last night for staging a candlelight vigil in front of Brickfields police headquarters were released on police bail this afternoon.
Brickfields OCPD ACP Wan Abdul Bari Wan Abdul Khalid said the five lawyers were among 20 people carrying out the vigil.
All of them had been released in stages, he said.
In a statement, Deputy Kuala Lumpur Police Chief Datuk Abu Samah Mat said the group, who wore black attire, refused to obey police order to disperse.
“After three warnings went unheeded, police went in and arrested 20 people including several lawyers and reporters,” he said.
Meanwhile, about 200 lawyers gathered at the lobby of the Jalan Duta court complex this morning for about 90 minutes to protest against the arrest of the five legal aid lawyers who were at the scene to represent their clients.
The group started to gather at 10am but dispersed an hour later after Bar Council chairperson Ragunath Kesavan announced that the five would be released today.
About 30 police personnel were stationed at the scene to monitor the situation.— Bernama
See also: Bar to hold EGM against police action
