PSM6 supporters' appreciation event

Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) held a dinner to thank supporters, their lawyers, NGOs and well-wishers who had stood by them and faithfully attended the candlelight vigils held almost everynight for the release of six of their activists detained on June 25.
The vigils had been organised from the date of their detention to their final release on July 29.
The PSM 6 as they have been called are: The six are Sungai Siput MP Dr Jeyakumar Devaraj, PSM activists Choo Chon Kai, Sarat Babu, M Sarasvathy, M Sukumaran, and A Letchumanan.
 
Bersih 2.0 may have had its fair share of persecution from the authorities, but it was guilt over the detention of six PSM detainees under the Emergency Ordinance which haunted the steering committee days prior to the July 9 rally.

And yet, said the coalition for clean and fair elections' chairperson S Ambiga (right), it was the PSM 6's strength and determination that pushed them through.

“We felt very bad… and then we got messages back from those who were detained, saying: “Carry on with the rally on July 9. We are with you, we are not afraid”.
“(The PSM 6) took the hit and the heat for Bersih, and we thank them for being so strong. We thank them for never wavering and always showing strength in a very critical time,” Ambiga said at PSM's thanksgiving dinner on Saturday night.

But while the 300-odd who thronged the Kuala Lumpur-Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall had come to celebrate their “superheroes”— (left to right) PSM Bayan Baru branch president Choo Chon Kai, PSM deputy president M Sarasvathy, Youth chief R Saratbabu, Sungai Siput MP Dr Michael D Jeyakumar, branch secretary AP Letchumanan and Sungai Siput branch leader M Sukumaran — feted last night was the rakyat.

Kicked off on a solemn note with a one-hour vigil for the repeal of the Emergency Ordinance and the Internal Security Act, the celebratory dinner took on a festive note as both lighthearted and touching presentations were given by civil society representatives.
'The people united'
Garnering big cheers was guitar-playing Suaram director Kua Kia Soong who, after introduced as a “famous Latin American singer” got the audience singing along to a song adapted from Spanish, with the catchy chorus: “the people united will never be defeated”.
People power was indeed the theme of the night with many speakers reminding the audience that it was the pressure that they placed on the government which led to the PSM 6's release on July 29, after 28 days in detention.
For PSM chairperson Dr Nasir Hashim (right), the support of the rakyat was both an “inspiration” and an affirmation of the power of grassroots activism in which the socialist party traces its foundations.
“(The authorities) failed to detain (the PSM 6) for longer, because they made a mistake. They thought we were a small party, but we have a history of activism and we have good friends.
“The bail set (for the 24 arrested on June 24) was RM8,000, (a total of) RM192, 000 but we managed to get the money to bail them out because there was a show of solidarity… We are now united, and that if you touch any one of us, we are (all) going to react,” he said to thundering applause.
Also a hit was PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu, who stepped on stage on crutches, having recovered enough from injuries sustained during the Bersih 2.0 rally to abandon the wheelchair.
Pointing to double standards in police enforcement, Mohamad said none of the silat leaders were arrested despite them announcing that they are willing to “spill blood” against Bersih 2.0.
“(The PSM 6) were accused of waging war against the Agong…and what were their weapons? T-shirts,” he said to laughter.
Also much celebrated was “fearless” PSM secretary general S Arutchelvan (right), who speakers said would be their top choice as “hostage negotiator” or “freedom campaigner” should they ever get kidnapped or taken in under oppressive laws.
Grinning from ear to ear, however, the indefatigable Arutchelvan who had run a nationwide pressure campaign for the PSM 6's release, only had praises for the people who had “forgotten the word 'fear'” and ignored police warnings against the holding of vigils for the PSM 6's release.
'Nabbed' again
But even Arutchelvan could not save the PSM 6 when they were 'nabbed' again last night—only this time by their party colleagues who surprised them by 'dragging' them on stage in a rib-tickling skit portraying the arbitrary nature of their detention.
In the skit, a man wearing a large sign which read 'Najib', who entered the stage to the song 'Who Let the Dogs Out?' ordered seemingly bumbling 'police' to catch PSM activists.
In their speeches, the six, too thanked their supporters, whom they said gave them strength to stand their ground.
“This is just the beginning of a new movement in Malaysia. I hope that with power of the people we can defend this seedling, so that it can become the tree of democracy that protects all Malaysians,” said Choo (right).

PSM6 didakwa, mohon dibicarakan

Enam aktivis PSM yang dibebaskan daripada tahanan mengikut Ordinan Darurat minggu lalu telah didakwa di Mahkamah Sesyen Butterworth kerana memiliki dokumen subversif.

Pendakwaan dibuat mengikut Seksyen 43 Akta Pertubuhan ataupun pertuduhan pilihan Seksyen 48 (1) akta yang sama.

Aktivis yang dikenali sebagai 'PSM 6' itu juga menghadapi pertuduhan mengikut Seksyen 29(1) Akta Keselamatan Dalam Negara (ISA) kerana didakwa memiliki dokumen 'subversif'.

Hakim Kamal Hisham Mohd Tajuddin menetapkan jaminan pada RM8,000 setiap seorang sementara menunggu perbicaraan kes bermula 10 hingga 14 Oktober ini.

Keenam-enam mereka adalah ahli parlimen Sungai Siput Dr Jeyakumar Devaraj dan aktivis PSM yang lain iaitu Choo Chon Kai, Sarat Babu, M Sarasvathy, M Sukumaran, serta A Letchumanan.

Mereka akan dibicarakan bersama 24 aktivis PSM lain yang telah didakwa sebelum ini.

Menurut peruntukan Seksyen 48, mana-mana orang yang didapati bertindak bagi pihak ataupun mewakili sesebuah pertubuhan haram dengan membawa bersama mereka 600 salinan risalah boleh dihukum maksimun lima tahun penjara ataupun denda RM5,000, atau kedua-duanya.

Sementara Seksyen 43 pula memperuntukkan seseorang yang menjadi ahli, menghadiri mesyuarat atau membantu sebuah pertubuhan haram boleh dihukum penjara tidak lebih tiga tahun atau didenda RM5,000 atau kedua-duanya sekali.

Tuduhan yang sama juga dikenakan ke atas 24 aktivis lain yang dithana di Sungai Dua, Pulau Pinang ketika dalam perjalanan ke program jelajah 'Udah Bersaralah' pada 25 Jun lalu.

Semua 30 aktivis itu pada mulanya dituduh cuba melancarkan peperangan ke atas Yang di-Pertuan Agong tetapi ia kemudiannya digugurkan. Mereka didakwa pula menjadi ancaman kepada kenteteraman awam.

Polis kemudian mendakwa keenam-enamnya ditahan kerana “peranan utama” mereka pada perhimpunan BERSIH 2.0 pada 9 Julai lalu. Semua mereka dibebaskan pada 29 Julai.

PSM6 akan didakwa esok

Enam aktivis Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) yang dibebaskan daripada tahanan Ordinan Darurat minggu lalu, akan didakwa di mahkamah esok.

Salah seorang daripada mereka Choo Chon Kai mengesahkan perkara itu selepas mendapat panggilan telefon supaya hadir ke mahkamah pada jam 9 pagi esok.

Sementara itu, Setiausaha Agung PSM S Arutchelvan berkata, peguam parti menerima panggilan telefon daripada ibu pejabat polis daerah (IPD) Seberang Perai Utara pagi tadi, memberitahu keenam-enamnya akan didakwa pada jam 9 pagi esok di Butterworth.

"Kami sedang cuba dapatkan butiran terperinci tentang pertuduhan itu," katanya ketika dihubungi Malaysiakini.

Keenam-enam mereka ialah Choo Chon Kai, Sarat Babu, M Sarasvathy, M Sukumaran, A Letchumanan and ahli parlimen Dr Jeyakumar Devaraj.

Mereka dibebaskan pada 29 Julai selepas 28 hari ditahan.