PSM sec-gen: Much engagement with Hisham before release

Arutchelvan said that the home minister had even sent him a text message after the release this evening saying, Over to you, Arul. file pic

KUALA LUMPUR, July 29 Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) scecretary-general S. Arutchelvan admitted tonight that there had been much engagement between the party and Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein prior to todays surprise release of six Emergency Ordinance (EO) detainees.

Speaking at a gathering tonight attended by the six, Arutchelvan said that Hishammuddin, the Home Minister, had even sent him a text message after the release this evening saying, Over to you, Arul.

There was engagement with Hishammuddin on the release. We have been pushing for an unconditional release and we were unsure all this time whether if they were to be released, would it be with conditions or not, he said when met by reporters later.

Arutchelvan added that when it became evident that the government had no plans to set all detainees free, they expressed that they were even willing to accept a conditional release.

We thought at least they would be released and we can decide later how to fight them. But it is good that they were released unconditionally and I welcome it even if they plan on charging the six because at least they get tried in court, he said.

He explained that when the six detainees lawyers were summoned this evening to the Jinjang police station, he had a suspicion the release order had been signed.

But we also thought to ourselves, if not a release, perhaps then our lawyers can meet them, he said.

The six detainees Sungai Siput MP Dr Michael Jeyakumar, PSM deputy chairman M. Sarasvathy, central committee members Choo Chon Kai and M. Sugumaran, Sungai Siput branch secretary A. Letchumanan and Youth chief R. Saratbabu were released unconditionally at 5.30pm today.

The six were picked up in Penang on June 25 alon! g with 2 4 others during the widespread pre-Bersih clampdown, and were later slapped with accusations that they were attempting to revive communism and wage a war against the King.

On July 2, they were placed under the Emergency Ordinance, a preventive law allowing for 60-days detention without trial, which was enacted in 1969 as a temporary measure in response to the May 13 race riots.

Arutchelvan also said that the entire episode had helped PSM gain popularity and increase its membership.

For the first time, he said, people were walking into PSMs office, requesting to become party members.

They email us, they walk in ... it has not happened before, he said.