(Malaysiakini) The Human Rights Party Malaysia's (HRP) bid to submit a memorandum to the Perak Sultan over the two Perak women involved in conversion cases was foiled today after a run-in with the police, resulting in one party member arrested.
The party had collected 5,000 signatures supporting the memorandum to Sultan Azlan Shah, highlighting the plight of S Banggarma from Tanjong Piandang and M Indira Gandhi from Ipoh - both involved in highly-publicised conversion cases - and appealing for royal intervention.
Officials at the Istana Kinta, Ipoh had instructed the police to only allow four representatives from the group to enter the palace to summit the two-paged memorandum.
However, HRP leaders party pro-tem secretary general P Uthayakumar, party national information chief S Jayathas and state party chief P Ramesh insisted on seven representatives.
When negotiations with the police came to a stalemate, the group requested palace officials to come out and receive the document.
They demanded acting Ipoh districts police chief Ibrahim Abu Bakar who was present to arrest and prosecute the officer for allegedly insulting the Sultan, but no action was taken.
Along the way HRP member K Balakrishnan, 53, was also arrested for allegedly verbally abusing the police.
The party then lodged a police report against the said officer at the Ipoh headquarters.
Ibrahim later told the media that he had received orders from the palace to only allow four representatives into the grounds.
He also defended his refusal to take action against the officer who had pushed the file off the vehicle saying he did not witness the act.
The acting chief clarified that Balakrishnan (right) was arrested for using vulgarities against police personnel.
Balakrishnan's wife V Shanti, who was with him at the time of the incident, has denied the allegation and has also lodged a police report at the Ipoh headquarters against the allegedly unlawful arrest of her husband.
Cat and mouse game
Banggarma was present at the scene, along with two other women whom HRP have been trying to assist, Rani (Jamillah Abdul Kadir) from Malacca and Regina Mohd Zaini from Johor, while Indira was absent.
Earlier in the morning, it was a cat and mouse game between HRP members and the police as they tried to start a convoy of cars from the party's newly opened Buntong office at First Garden, Ipoh to the Istana to hand over the memorandum.
A heavy show of force from the police, with at least twelve patrol cars and two truck ferrying riot police descending on the headquarter's vicinity, forced the party to relocate their convoy.
The HRP members relocated to Hotel Impiana nearer to the palace, with the police hot on their heels.
The four women are seeking royal intervention in their respective cases for freedom of religion.
In particular, Banggarma had her application to nullify her conversion to Islam turned down on Aug 4 at the Penang High Court.
Resolved to continue her Hindu practice regardless, she participated in the annual fire walking ceremony at the Sri Muthu Mariamman Kovil temple in Parit Buntar two weeks ago.
The party had collected 5,000 signatures supporting the memorandum to Sultan Azlan Shah, highlighting the plight of S Banggarma from Tanjong Piandang and M Indira Gandhi from Ipoh - both involved in highly-publicised conversion cases - and appealing for royal intervention.Officials at the Istana Kinta, Ipoh had instructed the police to only allow four representatives from the group to enter the palace to summit the two-paged memorandum.
However, HRP leaders party pro-tem secretary general P Uthayakumar, party national information chief S Jayathas and state party chief P Ramesh insisted on seven representatives.When negotiations with the police came to a stalemate, the group requested palace officials to come out and receive the document.
As a last resort, HRP leaders urged the police to hand over the document to palace officials on their behalf. This too failed.
The unhappy HRP members decided to leave the file containing the documents on the bonnet of a police car parked outside the gates.
HRP member arrested
At this juncture, a police officer pushed the document off the car and onto the road, angering the HRP leaders.
HRP member arrested
At this juncture, a police officer pushed the document off the car and onto the road, angering the HRP leaders.
They demanded acting Ipoh districts police chief Ibrahim Abu Bakar who was present to arrest and prosecute the officer for allegedly insulting the Sultan, but no action was taken.Along the way HRP member K Balakrishnan, 53, was also arrested for allegedly verbally abusing the police.
The party then lodged a police report against the said officer at the Ipoh headquarters.
Ibrahim later told the media that he had received orders from the palace to only allow four representatives into the grounds.
He also defended his refusal to take action against the officer who had pushed the file off the vehicle saying he did not witness the act.
The acting chief clarified that Balakrishnan (right) was arrested for using vulgarities against police personnel.Balakrishnan's wife V Shanti, who was with him at the time of the incident, has denied the allegation and has also lodged a police report at the Ipoh headquarters against the allegedly unlawful arrest of her husband.
Cat and mouse game
Banggarma was present at the scene, along with two other women whom HRP have been trying to assist, Rani (Jamillah Abdul Kadir) from Malacca and Regina Mohd Zaini from Johor, while Indira was absent.
Earlier in the morning, it was a cat and mouse game between HRP members and the police as they tried to start a convoy of cars from the party's newly opened Buntong office at First Garden, Ipoh to the Istana to hand over the memorandum.
A heavy show of force from the police, with at least twelve patrol cars and two truck ferrying riot police descending on the headquarter's vicinity, forced the party to relocate their convoy.The HRP members relocated to Hotel Impiana nearer to the palace, with the police hot on their heels.
The four women are seeking royal intervention in their respective cases for freedom of religion.
In particular, Banggarma had her application to nullify her conversion to Islam turned down on Aug 4 at the Penang High Court.
Resolved to continue her Hindu practice regardless, she participated in the annual fire walking ceremony at the Sri Muthu Mariamman Kovil temple in Parit Buntar two weeks ago.
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