(COLOMBO, LANKAPUVATH) – Investigation papers involving 12 detained Malaysians, including two lawmakers from the Democratic Action Party (DAP) for alleged links to a Sri Lankan militant group, have been forwarded to the Attorney General’s Chambers, Counter-Terrorism Chief Ayob Khan said on Sunday (27).
The arrest of the men had raised tensions within Malaysia’s governing coalition Pakatan Harapan that includes the DAP, with claims and counter-claims over their alleged involvement in raising funds and trying to revive the defunct group Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), the Straits Times reported.
The LTTE is deemed a terrorist group and banned in Malaysia.
Deputy Commissioner Ayob, who heads the Special Branch’s Counter-Terrorism Division said the police have wrapped up their investigations of the detainees and are satisfied with the probe so far. The probe started in November last year, leading to the arrests.
The Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) could decide to continue detaining them without trial under the country’s security laws, release them, or charge them in open court as requested by the DAP.
“The investigation papers were forwarded to the AGC on Wednesday,” Datuk Ayob told reporters at police headquarters. “We are now waiting for further instructions from the AGC.”.
He said the division has arranged visits for close family members of the detainees for the Deepavali celebrations on Sunday. They were given two-hour slots for the visits, between 9 am and 5 pm.
Family members were also allowed to bring food for the detainees, he added.
“Some detainees experienced gastric issues and stomach aches. It is normal as some might have been used to the food provided in detention,” DCP Ayob said.
The two DAP state assemblymen are P. Gunasekaren from Negeri Sembilan and G. Saminathan from Melaka.
Meanwhile, Ms V. Umah Devi, the wife of Saminathan, has visited her husband at the Kuala Lumpur Police Headquarters.
“We brought his favourite thosai and muruku to mark Deepavali,” she told the media.
Ms Umah added that Saminathan had lost some weight and appeared dishevelled during their meeting.
A man who declined to be named said his youngest brother was among those detained.
“He cried when we met and he hopes that the authorities can free him as soon as possible,” he said.
The man added that he and another sibling came from Singapore to visit their brother, who works as a taxi driver.
“We work in Singapore and we only come back once a year to see our family;” he said.
