PENAHANAN EZAM DAN AZMIN

PRM diberitahu bahawa Saudara Ezam Mohd Noor dan Saudara Azmin Ali telah ditahan oleh polis pagi ini. Mereka telah ditahan di Lapangan Terbang Antarabangsa Kuala Lumpur apabila pulang dari Mekkah kerana menunaikan Ibadat Umrah. Ezam adalah Ketua Pemuda keADILan, manakala Azmin pula adalah Ketua keADILan Selangor dan anggota Dewan Undangan Selangor. Kedua-duanya juga anggota Majlis Pimpinan Tertinggi (MPT) keADILan.

Kami membantah sekeras-kerasnya penangkapan mereka ini. Kami menganggap mereka ini, seperti juga tujuan orang lain yang ditangkap sebelum mereka, telah ditangkap oleh kerana dendam kesumat pucuk pimpinan Barisan Nasional (BN) kerana kekalahan BN dalam pilihan raya kecil Lunas baru-baru ini. Nampaknya pimpinan BN ini tersangat marah oleh kerana percubaan  mereka hendak menggunakan undi hantu di Lunas  telah terbongkar.

Sangat aneh sekali. Di negeri-negeri lain, pemerintahnya menggunakan perayaan hari kebesaran sebagai sempena untuk mengampunkan dan membebaskan banduan. Akan tetapi di negara yang dinamakan Malaysia ini, pimpinan pemerintah menggunakan polis untuk menangkap musuh-musuh yang mereka dendami selepas masyarakat Kristian menyambut Hari Natal, menjelang masyarakat  Islam merayakan Eidul-Fitri, dan sebelum seluruh rakyat menunggu sambutan Tahun Baru.

Kami menggesa supaya kedua-dua pemimpin keADILan ini dibebaskan segera supaya mereka oleh bersama-sama keluarga mereka pada hari yang bahagia esok. Seterusnya mereka hendaklah dibebaskan daripada sebarang tuduhan.

DETENTION OF EZAM AND AZMIN

PRM has been informed that the police detained Ezam Mohd Noor and Azmin Ali this morning. They were detained at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport on their return from Mecca after performing Umrah (minor pilgrimage). Ezam is head of the keADILan (Justice Party) Youth Section, while Azmi is head of Selangor keADILan and member of the State Legislative Council. Both are also in the Leadership Council of keADILan.

We strongly protest against their detention. We regard them, like seven others who were detained before them, as victims of bitter vengeful act of the Barisan Nasional (BN) leaders, who do not seem to be able to reconcile with their coalition defeat in the Lunas by-election lately.  It is clear that the BN leadership is extremely angry that their attempt to use phantom voters in Lunas was exposed.

It is most ironical. In other countries, governments often use festive seasons as the occasion to pardon and release prisoners. But in this country known as Malaysia, the government leaders use the police to detain their erstwhile political enemies after the Christian community celebration of Christmas, before Muslims celebrate  Hari Raya, and while all the people are preparing to welcome the New Year.

We urge the police to release the two keADILan leaders immediately so that they can join their families for the auspicious day tomorrow. We also that they will not be  charged.


Dr Syed Husin Ali
Presiden PRM                                                                                                    26hb Disember 2000