KOTA MARUDU: Bersih 2.0 chairman Maria Chin Abdullah has been released on police bail, more than two hours after she was detained here today.
District police chief Superintendent Mohd Izaan Abdullah said Maria was earlier arrested under the Section 11 of the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984.
“She was arrested at 1.45pm at Langkon town here (for distributing leaflets on Bersih 5 rally).
“She was brought to Kota Marudu police station and released at 4.15pm after investigation has completed,” he said in a statement.
Inspector General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said Maria was arrested because she had handed out the leaflets without including the name and address of the printer and publisher as required under Section 11 of the PPPA.
“Our country has laws. Police are not stopping any group to do anything, however they must follow the rules.
If Maria don’t know about the PPPA, please ask. She can even ask me if she wants,” he told NST.
Former Bersih Sabah leader Jannie Lasimbang was reported earlier as saying that Maria was here to support Bersih Sabah convoy.
She said police have also taken information on individuals who took the Bersih leaflets during the convoy.
The nationwide convoy, kicked off on Oct 1, was aimed at raising awareness of the group's plan to hold a street rally on Nov 19.