Tuesday 6 November 2012

Suaram probe: Getting PSM sec-gen a headache for ROS

Suaram probe: Getting PSM sec-gen a headache for ROS
  • Nigel Aw
  • 5:15PM Nov 6, 2012
 
Having served notices to haul up several seemingly unrelated individuals for its investigation into Suaram, the Registrar of Societies (ROS) is, however, finding it difficult to get to one of its former activists - PSM secretary-general S Arutchelvan.

Contacted today, Arutchelvan said he was informed that ROS officers came to his house in Kajang during the weekend and since he was not at home for them to serve a notice on him, they left a contact number with a neighbour for him to call them.

PSM secretary-general S Arutchelvan at bar council forum 2"I called the number and they said the wanted to issue a notice to me under Section 111 (of the Criminal Procedure Code) and asked me when I would be at home. I told them to their luck," he said.

He said he bluntly told the officers that they were being used by the ruling coalition party and they responded that they were merely following orders.

Arutchelvan, who is in Kedah now, is the latest person the ROS wants to haul up. It has served its summons on Bar Council chairperson Lim Chee Wee, Bersih steering committee member Maria Chin Abdullah, Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua and lawyer Syahredzan Johan.
'It's sheer harassment'

Arutchelvan was once active with Suaram and he considers the hauling up of the other individuals, who are not in any way linked to the human rights movement, as an act of "sheer harassment".

He speculates that the others are being called up simply because they have been making statements in defence of Suaram.

NONEMeanwhile, PKR vice-president Tian Chua revealed that he too received a notice yesterday to present himself at the ROS headquarters on Thursday.

"The notice is from ROS and it does not say why (I am being called up). But since so many others are being called up because of Suaram, I'm assuming it is about that," the Batu MP said.

Tian Chua, who like Arutchelvan was once active in the human rights group, added that he too was puzzled as to why he was being called up by ROS.

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