Bersih 5 participants ignorant of the law, says Nazri

UMNO Supreme Council member Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz has described Bersih 5.0 rally participants as "stupid and ignorant of the law" in disputing the detention of Bersih chairman Maria Chin Abdullah.

He said this was because Maria's family members and supporters regarded her detention under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act (SOSMA) 2012 as wrong and inappropriate.

"They assume Maria Chin's detention under SOSMA was more for involvement in terrorism activities but the Act was used to detain her on national security factor instead.

"Please check your facts first. Who says she (Maria) is a terrorist? Terrorists will be detained under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) 2015, not SOSMA," he told reporters after launching the Kampungku (My Village) Craft Programme, here, Friday.

Nazri who is also Tourism and Culture Minister, said Maria's detention was based on evidence found in her office which were seen as a threat to parliamentary democracy in this country.

He said any dispute over Maria's detention should go through the legal process.

"Anyone who wants to challenge her detention should go to court instead of holding nightly sit-ins and lighting candles at Dataran Merdeka, as that's not the process of law. Let the court decide," he added.

On Wednesday, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said that Maria's detention had nothing to do with the Bersih gathering but made under SOSMA for being a threat to national security.

He said based on the Act, police could detain Maria for 28 days to investigate every evidence found in her office. - BERNAMA