NEWS of caretaker Kedah menteri besar (MB) Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor’s arrest filled today’s HarakahDaily with its first story of the day centering on the PAS election director being detained by a team of more than 20 police officers at his hotel at 3am this morning.
Prior to this, the PAS mouthpiece reported that Sanusi and his officials returned to the hotel after having concluded the Perikatan Nasional (PN) supreme council meeting at 11.40pm last night (July 17).
“At 2am, they realised there were two men hovering in front of the emergency door on the 33A floor of the hotel while five other men were in front of the main elevator on the same floor,” noted HarakahDaily.
“At 2,30am in the morning, the door of his lodging room was knocked and there were more than 20 members outside the room before he was taken out to the hotel lobby.”
Following this, Sanusi who is also the PN election director was taken in a special MPV accompanied by police officers to the Gombak District Police Headquarters (IPD) in Selangor whereby his arrest was made under Section 4(1)(A) of the Sedition Act.
Following this, Sanusi was later charged at the Sessions Court in Selayang at 9am to which he pleaded not guilty to making a statement alleged to be seditious against Selangor Ruler Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah.
Calling on all PAS members and supporters “to remain calm and respect the legal processes”, the Islamist part’s secretary-general Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan said PAS is closely following the development of the case involving Sanusi.
According to PAS Youth chief Ahmad Fadhli Shaari, the controversial PAS leader “does not need solidarity on the road because solidarity with him lies in the heart of the people across the country”.
Instead, he called on all PAS members and supporters as well as Malaysians to pray that Sanusi “is given strength to face this test”.
“Anyone who followed the speech made by Sanusi must have found that there was no insult as he was accused to have uttered. However, since this matter has been brought to court, we respect the process,” HarakahDaily quoted the Pasir Mas MP as saying.
“We have not ordered any PAS Youth members or PAS members to gather at the court to avoid any room for provocation ahead of the upcoming state polls.”
Meanwhile, PAS Muslimat chief Nuridah Mohd Salleh described the action against Sanusi as a very sad matter for all the people.
“It seems the government is now practising double standard. We hope that PAS and PN members will remain calm. In this situation, increase your hajat prayers and hopefully what has happened will signal the downfall of the current Prime Minister,” she noted.
Last night (July 17), Kedah PAS commissioner Datuk Ahmad Yahaya stressed that PAS Kedah will adhere to the principle of innocent until proven guilty which means that a person who is brought to court should not be considered guilty until proven otherwise.
“Thus, in the situation faced by Sanusi, Kedah PAS always pray for the best for him and hopes that the legislative process will be carried out fairly, adhere firmly to the principles of justice according to the law and be free from any grip or political influence.” – July 18, 2023
