Police Detain 50 Jerit Members For Investigation

(Bernama) Sungai Siput police today detained 50 members of the Oppressed People Network (Jerit) who were riding bicycles from Kuala Kangsar to the city, here, and recorded their statements.

A police spokesman said the group, aged between 13 and 16 who were yesterday detained and released in Kuala Kangsar, were stopped at two roadblocks in Sungai Siput and Kanthan and were later released after their statements were recorded.

Wearing red tee-shirts, the group were detained for normal checks just like the other road users, he said when contacted today.

The same group had been detained at a roadblock at the Kuala Kangsar Toll Plaza at about 12.30pm yesterday as they were alleged to have refused to cooperate with the police when they were questioned.

In the incident yesterday, the Member of Parliament for Sungai Siput, Dr S. Jeyakumar who was in another car, was also detained and taken to the Kuala Kangsar Police Headquarters to have his statement recorded before being released on police bail, he said.

Meanwhile, Jerit coordinator K.Kunasekaran, 44, said the programme formed part of a campaign to send a memorandum to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi on Dec 18.

"If our group is harassed at every police roadblock, it will certainly delay our journey to our destination," he said.

Since the group started its cycling expedition from Perlis to Perak, it had passed through nine police roadblocks aimed at asking the members to furnish their identity cards, he said.

Kunasekaran said the Jerit members would cycle from Sungai Siput to Ipoh tomorrow to meet with Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamamad Nizar Jamaluddin and hand over a memorandum.