THE president of the pro-independence Parti Bumi Kenyalang (PBK) was at the Kuching district police headquarters this morning over the party’s vision of seeking independence from Malaysia.

Voon Lee Shan said he was called in to give his statement under the Sedition Act and the Communications and Multimedia Act.

“This was in connection with the vision of Parti Bumi Kenyalang,” Voon said.

“I don’t see anything wrong to speak and seek independence because this is also taught in law schools. We are educating our people of their right to self-determination and independence.

“Tunku Abdul Rahman did this before 1957 for Malaya and Lee Kuan Yew did this for Singapore before Malaysia was formed,” he said in reference to Malaysia and Singapore’s first prime ministers.

“The Sedition Act 1948 was enacted by the UK parliament and extended to all British colonies but was never been used against (Mahatma) Gandhi (of India) , Tunku Abdul Rahman and Lee Kuan Yew.

“Why (now) one (used on) me? What is wrong for Sarawak to talk and seek independence?

“What is wrong for Sarawakians to speak about the breaches and or illegality of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63)?”

Voon also said his call-up by the police over the party’s political ambition was not an isolated case.

He said in the past weeks, about 20 party members have been “called by people who claimed that they were from the police department or from the police Special Branch wanting to interview them about their political activities”.

Voon, a senior lawyer, asked under what law were the police using “to call any citizen for an interview just to dig into their personal activities or to know them better”.

“There is no law,” he said.

He added the police could only call the citizens to assist investigations into a crime.

Voon said the police harassment on politicians and activists who were doing their work according to law was creating a lot of unhappiness among party members.

“This is a volcano waiting to erupt in Sarawak,” he said.

Voon, a former police officer himself, said in all his 20 years in politics – starting with DAP – he had never heard the Special Branch calling so many people from one political party or organisation for an interview on their activities or just to know them.

“This is the first time and it is shocking.” – May 19, 2021.