ARRESTS PRECEDE MAY 7 PERAK ASSEMBLY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KUALA LUMPUR 000337 SIPDIS FOR EAP, EAP/MTS AND INR E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/06/2019 TAGS: PGOV PINR KDEM MY SUBJECT: ARRESTS PRECEDE MAY 7 PERAK ASSEMBLY Classified By: Political Counselor Mark D. Clark, reason 1.4 (b and d). ¶1. (C) Summary and Comment: Malaysian police arrested four opposition figures May 5-6, including two senior political party leaders, releasing two later on May 6. Two of the arrests are tied to potential protest actions surrounding the controversial May 7 state assembly meeting in Perak, which could finalize the ruling National Front (BN) takeover of the state government. The other two oppositionists were detained, questioned and released following a publicity stunt intended to associate Prime Minister Najib with the Altantuya murder case. The arrests send a warning to the Opposition ahead of any May 7 protest actions, and help ensure BN will succeed in tomorrow's Perak assembly sitting. However, the police actions also boost the Opposition's efforts to portray Prime Minister Najib and his United Malays National Organization (UMNO) party as authoritarian. Separately, we will forward suggested "if asked" press guidance. End Summary and Comment. ¶2. (SBU) On the evening of May 5, police used the Sedition Act to arrest Wong Chin Huat, a prominent civil society activist and a coordinator of the Coalition for Free and Fair Elections (BERSIH),an NGO and opposition grouping. The arrest followed a press conference led by Wong and a number of prominent Opposition parliamentarians that called on Malaysians to protest the BN's takeover of the Perak state government by wearing black to symbolize the death of democracy. The press conference drew particular attention to the controversial May 7 sitting of the Perak state assembly, which could finalize BN's assumption of state power there. Police brought Wong before a magistrate on May 6 and charged him under Section 4(1) of the Sedition Act covering attempts or preparations to carry out "an act with seditious tendency." The magistrate ordered Wong released on bail, but police successfully appealed to hold Wong for a further two days of questioning (until May 8). ¶3. (U) The new president of the Malaysian Bar Council, Ragunath Kesavan, in a strongly-worded May 6 press release on Wong's arrest stated the Bar's concern that "Police have resorted to use the Sedition Act 1949 yet again to stifle public opinion and dissenting voices..." The statement continued that, "this does not augur well for the Prime Minister's promise of openness and respect for the people." The Bar called the Sedition Act "an absolute affront to democracy" and urged its repeal. The statement also called for Wong's immediate release. Senior opposition figures, including de facto Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, vocally condemned Wong's arrest. ¶4. (SBU) On May 6, police in Kuala Lumpur made a second arrest related to the May 7 Perak events by picking up Mohammed Sabu, a vice president of the opposition Islamic Party of Malaysia (PAS). Sabu, who has been frequently involved in coordinating PAS protests, was acting as a key organizer for an early morning prayer gathering of opposition supporters in Perak on May 7. Police informed Sabu's wife that he would be brought to Perak for questioning, according to local media. ¶5. (SBU) Police also detained and later released two more opposition politicians on May 6 related to an attempted publicity stunt to associate PM Najib with the Altantuya murder case. Police detained Peoples Justice Party (PKR) supreme council member Badrul Hisham and activist Nor Azizi after they and others attempted to deliver a cake commemorating the birthday of murdered Mongolian national Altantuya to the Prime Minister's office in the administrative capital Putrajaya. After some hours of questioning, police released both individuals. ¶6. (U) In Perak, police have stepped up security ahead of the May 7 state assembly meeting. Police reportedly have established road blocks on roads leading to the state capital of Ipoh. Police have obtained a court order barring gatherings from within 500 meters of the state assembly building. Police also reiterated a warning against holding gatherings anywhere without a police permit. ¶7. (C) Prominent Opposition leaders told us that they seek a silver lining in the arrests and Perak events. Veteran leader of the Democratic Action Party (DAP) Lim Kit Siang told polcouns May 5 that PM Najib and UMNO may gain a short-term victory in Perak through hardball tactics, but this would harm their national image by recalling the authoritarian measures of the Mahathir era, and cause the public to question their commitment to reform. PKR KUALA LUMP 00000337 002 OF 002 information chief Latifah Koya, speaking with us on May 6, called the arrests "uncalled for" but added that the police actions would boost the image of the Opposition alliance as defenders of democracy. Thus far, senior UMNO and BN leaders have refrained from substantive public comment on the arrests. KEITH