PETALING JAYA, 23 May 2009: Police this evening raided the DAP national headquarters here and confiscated computer equipment, leaflets and DVDs.
The 6.30pm raid, which was done under Section 11 of the Printing Presses and Publications Act, was carried out without a search warrant.
In a blog posting, DAP advisor Lim Kit Siang said it was the first time in the party’s 42 year history that its HQ had been raided. He said party leaders, Tan Kok Wai, Fong Kui Lun, Gobind Singh and Lim Lip Eng, who were alerted of the raid, managed to reached the HQ before the police left, which was about an hour later.
According to a statement from DAP Socialist Youth (Dapsy) national secretary Loh Chee Heng, police brought Dapsy political education bureau director Ooi Leng Hang, to the scene and it is believed he unlocked the door for them.
Ooi, who was handcuffed, had been in police detention since 21 May for taking part in a candlelight vigil in Taman Muda
The Hulu Selangor councillor’s office computer and some documents were confiscated. Watch a video of the raid here.
Terming the police raid as an “anti-democracy crackdown”, Dapsy in the statement said the move to charge Ooi, Dapsy deputy chairperson Jenice Lee and the other 14 Dapsy members and supporters under the 1984 Printing Presses and Publications Act “is extremely regrettable”.
The statement also demanded the immediate unconditional release of those who were arrested at the vigil on 21 May. 
K S Ong says
“BN acted within the law…” said Najib, soon after Court of Appeal verdict. Police too? what with their wide powers they are having a whale of a time arresting people under this Act or the other.
Might as well arrest all the opposition MPs and 1Malaysia belongs to one party only! That is also within the law if you said so, because power is in your hands.
Eric says
Here is the true meaning of 1Malaysia: lofty meaningless speeches, underhanded dictatorial tactics. Najib looks set to send BN-UMNO into history.
1Black Malaysia. Democracy First. Elections Now.
D Lim says
How sad and disappointing.
james au says
The “anti-democracy crackdown” of the DAP HQ clearly shows the political turmoil in Malaysia now. With due respect, the recent spate of unwarranted arrests of innocent rakyat is uncalled for. The integrity of the police has been tarnished. The police are supposed to protect ordinary citizens, not harass them and go beyond the boundaries of the law of the land. Who are we to trust? Maybe the PM has got the answers in his 1 Malaysia.
mike says
PM has made a mockery of the police force…I do not trust the police at all. A lot of crime goes on and the police are more interested in arresting people in candlelight vigils.