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KAJANG: The president of the University Malaya New Youth Association (Umany) has accused the police of using excessive force, intimidation and abuse of power after six committee members were summoned to the Kajang police headquarters today to be questioned.
The latest action by the police comes two days after they tried to search the home of Umany President Robin Yap Wen Qing, which ended when his predecessor, Wong Yan Ke, was arrested after he began filming the incident on his phone. .
Speaking to the media outside the police headquarters, Yap said that despite telling him that only members of the Umany central committee would be called, the police later contacted current and retired leaders to also inform the station.
“They did this even though they know how inconvenient it would be for students to travel here (Kajang) during the current CMCO,” he said.
Yap was accompanied by the six members of the Umany committee who were to give their statement to the police after the press conference.
Delving into the allegation of excessive use of force by the police, Yap said the three plainclothes officers who went to search his home on Saturday were “all equipped with their firearms.”
He said that based on the principle of proportionality, the police should only use proportional force in their investigations and strive to cause the least amount of harm to citizens.
He called on the public to speak out against the police action and support those who have seen their rights “deprived”.
It was previously reported that Yap and Umany Vice President Tan Li Yuan were being investigated by the police for sedition and crimes under the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Act 1998.
The police began their investigation after the student body posted a Facebook post titled “Yang di-Pertuan Agong must not intervene in national affairs.”
Meanwhile, the Center for Independent Journalism (CIJ) condemned the police action, calling it a violation of the students’ right to freedom of expression and expression.
“We are disappointed that the state continues to arbitrarily use the Sedition Act and Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act to silence any unconventional views,” he said in a statement.
