Malaysia: Activist Rearrested for Soliciting Foreign Investigations into 1MBD
Event- Country
- Malaysia
- Initial Date
- Sep 23, 2015
- Event Description
(Malay Mail Online) - Former Batu Kawan Umno deputy chief Khairuddin Abu Hassan has been rearrested by the police this evening, moments after he was released by the court at the Jalan Duta Court Complex, Malaysiakini reported today. Khairuddin, who filed reports against 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) in several countries, was rearrested under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act (Sosma) around 4.40pm. He can be detained without trial for up to 29 days under the Sosma act. "When he walked out of the court after being released, he was immediately re-arrested for offences under Section 124K and 124L of the Penal Code," his lawyer Matthias Chang told Malaysiakini. Section 124K and 124L deal with sabotage and attempting to sabotage the state respectively. Khairuddin was initially arrested on suspicion of acting to "topple the government' under Section 124(c) of the Penal Code, which was related to acts detrimental to parliamentary democracy. "The sabotage charge couldn't stick under Section 124(c), so that's why they needed to re-arrest him," Chang added. Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said Khairuddin's attempt to solicit foreign investigations into 1MDB was an act of sabotage and a danger to Malaysia's economy and sovereignty, as well as a disservice to the country's law enforcement agencies. The IGP insisted that the former Umno leader should have provided any evidence in his possession to local investigators for their own use, given that he initially lodged a report against the firm here in Malaysia. "Instead, he still chose to use foreign legal avenues, particularly Britain, Hong Kong, France and the United States with the purpose of applying international pressure on Malaysia." Khairuddin was arrested on Friday, the day he was reportedly due to fly to New York in the US to meet with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and was remanded a further six days on Saturday. He was initially due to be released tomorrow. Prior to his arrest, Khairuddin claimed that he was barred from leaving the country by the Immigration Department. The former deputy chief of the Umno Batu Kawan division had been on a global tour to solicit investigations by other countries into 1MDB. The WSJ has published a series of reports detailing dubious activity allegedly involving 1MDB, beginning with an expos_ in July on the US$700 million (RM2.6 billion) deposit in Najib's accounts. It followed up last month with another report alleging that US$1.4 billion in payments from 1MDB to a UAE sovereign fund was missing from the Middle Eastern firm's accounts. The July report, in particular, appeared to trigger a series of events in Malaysia that eventually led to the amount being declared a donation from the Middle East while local investigations into 1MDB were also either suspended or repurposed. Najib has denied any impropriety over the US$700 million (RM2.9 billion) donation, which was described as a political donation to the Umno party that he heads. UPDATE: 27/ 11/ 2015 Khairuddin, Matthias out on bail, court rules Sosma not applicable he High Court today allowed bail for former Umno leader Datuk Seri Khairuddin Abu Hassan and lawyer Matthias Chang who were charged with sabotaging the Malaysian economy, and ruled that it was not a security offence. "As such, procedures under Security Offences (Special Measures) 2012 could not be applied on them," judge Datuk Mohd Azman Husin said in allowing the duo's application. He released them on RM10,000 bail, and ordered the trial to commence in the Sessions Court. Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who was present in court this morning to lend support to his former aide and Khairuddin, said he had always maintained that there was no offence and the use of Sosma was not correct. "I am very glad as I thought there is no case. I always thought there is no case under that law (Sosma). Justice has been done," he told reporters. Dr Mahathir, his wife Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohamad Ali and former minister Tan Sri Sanusi Junid were among those present in the packed courtroom today. The judge today said Parliament had never intended the charge under section 124L of the Penal Code to be a security offence. The charge under this section carries a jail term of up to 15 years upon conviction. "They cannot be denied bail and Sosma procedures cannot be used in their trial," the judge said. Deputy Public Prosecutor Masri Mohd Daud said the prosecution will appeal to the Court of Appeal. Judge Azman has fixed the matter for case management on January 12. Khairuddin has been under detention since September 8 and Chang, since October 8. Chang, a former political aide to Dr Mahathir, was arrested at the Dang Wangi district police headquarters in Kuala Lumpur, when he went there to visit Khairuddin who was being held under Sosma. The anti-terrorism law allows for a suspect to be held for up to 28 days after arrest. On October 12, both men were charged with attempted sabotage of the Malaysian economy and the country's financial and banking system. They are accused of committing the offence in France, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Hong Kong and Singapore, between June 28 and August 26 this year - places where Khairuddin had lodged reports against state-owned investment firm, 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB). 1MDB is the brainchild of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, and detractors, led by Dr Mahathir, have accused the prime minister of silencing criticism of 1MDB with the use of Sosma.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Man
- Violation
- (Arbitrary) Arrest and Detention
- Judicial Harassment
- Rights Concerned
- Right to information
- Right to political participation
- HRD
- Pro-democracy defender
- Perpetrator-State
- Government
- Police
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Event Location
Latitude: 4.210483999999973
Longitude: 101.975766
- Event Location
- Summary for Publications
On 23 September 2015,Mr. Khairuddin Abu Hassan who filed reports against 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) in several countries, was rearrested under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act (Sosma) moments after he was released by the court at the Jalan Duta court.