Article 11 Member Lodged Report

Charles Ramendran

KUALA LUMPUR : A member of Article 11 lodged a police report against the Anti-Inter Faith Commission body known by its Malay acronym Badai over a May 16 (2006) press release for criminal intimidation and instigating hostility.

Malaysian Civil Liberties Society (MCLS) protem committee member Tunku Aamash Tunku Adnan said the e-mail release, allegedly sent out by Badai chairman Ustaz Mohd Hafiz Nordin, was "inflammatory and criminally intimidates and threatens with harm members of the Article 11 coalition".

MCLS is a member of Article 11 which comprises 13 non-governmental organisations. Tunku Aamash lodged the police report on Wednesday (May 24, 2006) at the Dang Wangi district police headquarters.

On May 14, 2006, an Article 11 forum in Penang to discuss constitutional protection for all Malaysians was disrupted by a mob of 500 protestors whom Badai has thanked in the press release.

Tunku Aamash said the press release also carried a threat in which Badai, claiming to represent all Muslims and Islamic NGOs, allegedly warned Article 11 that if they continued with their road show to discuss the constitution, they would face "bigger risks" than what they did in Penang.

The Penang forum, jointly organised with Aliran, was the third of its kind following the concerns raised by the Nyonya Tahir, M. Moorthy and S. Shamala cases where conversion to Islam by one party led to difficulties for non-converted family members.

It was the first to be disrupted. Article 11's road show will continue to Johor Baru next month.

Police in Penang last week completed investigations into the May 14 protest and have classified the case as unlawful assembly under Section 27 (5A) of the Police Act.

Deputy Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Musa Hassan had said police were discussing the next course of action with the Attorney-General.

In his report, Tunku Aamash urged the police to investigate Badai and its chairman over the e-mail.

Dang Wangi police chief ACP Kamal Jamal Pasha confirmed the report was lodged and said police would investigate and act accordingly.