Monday, March 30, 2009

DAP lawmaker held over democracy tree DVD - Malaysian Insider

IPOH, March 30 – Police arrested DAP’s Tebing Tinggi assemblyman Ong Boon Piaw here last night in connection with a DVD video on the “democracy tree”.

DAP strongman Lim Kit Siang said Ong was arrested after the DVD was launched and shown publicly at the Chin Woo Hall and taken to the Pekan Baru police station.

“Latest example of the increasing intolerance towards fundamental liberties like freedom of speech, thought and expression in Najib’s Malaysia!” the Ipoh Timur MP wrote in his blog, referring to incoming prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

The “democracy tree” refers to the rain tree outside the State Assembly where the ousted Pakatan Rakyat government held an emergency sitting to reaffirm its status and approve its dissolution despite the Perak ruler’s refusal.

Sultan Azlan Shah had instead sworn in Barisan Nasional Pangkor assemblyman Datuk Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir as Menteri Besar after three Pakatan Rakyat lawmakers switched support.

Pakatan Rakyat Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohd Nizar Jamaluddin, who maintains he still holds the post, is now the Pas candidate for the Bukit Gantang parliamentary by-election in what they have termed a referendum of the Perak political crisis.

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