The Malaysian Insight

A LAWYER representing Red Shirts leader Jamal Md Yunos and seven others said they did not participate in an illegal gathering when they smashed beer bottles in front of the Selangor government secretariat’s building yesterday.

The eight are at the Shah Alam Court for a remand hearing for investigations into an illegal assembly, the Umno leader’s lawyer, Mohamad Imran Tamrin, said.

“Jamal and seven others have been brought to the court for remand at 11am this morning. They are being investigated under Section 143 of the Penal Code (for attending an illegal gathering).

“My legal team and I will be making objections to the remand requested by the investigating officer.”

Tamrin said they would argue that what the group did outside the state secretariat building was not an illegal assembly, as the press had been invited to cover it.

“There was no protest, no gathering. There was no provocation by those participating. The seven others who were arrested with Jamal were not participants, they were his driver and personal bodyguards,” the lawyer said.

They were arrested early this morning after protesting outside the Selangor state secretariat building yesterday, where Jamal had used a sledgehammer to smash 10 cartons of beer bottles.

Jamal’s protest yesterday was directed against the Selangor government after menteri besar Mohamed Azmin Ali said the state would allow beer festivals provided organisers adhered to conditions set by local councils.

The Sungai Besar Umno division chief said such festivals that involved alcohol was immoral and would corrupt youth. – October 6, 2017.