On 22 December 2009, the Kuala Lumpur High Court ordered the
Malaysian government to pay RM30,000 each to 29 human rights activists
and journalists wrongfully detained following the ruling party (Umno)
Youth's disruption of the Apcet II civil society gathering in Kuala
Lumpur more than a decade ago.
On 22 December 2009, the Kuala Lumpur High Court ordered the
Malaysian government to pay RM30,000 each to 29 human rights activists
and journalists wrongfully detained following the ruling party (Umno)
Youth's disruption of the Apcet II civil society gathering in Kuala
Lumpur more than a decade ago.
The government will now have to pay them a total of RM870,000 in
general damages. The plaintiffs were also awarded 8 percent interest
per annum from the date the suit was filed on Nov 9, 1998.
Appeals Court Judge Wan Adnan Muhamad delivered his decision,
saying that "the facts were clear and straightforward and the judgment
was based on facts submitted by both parties."
"I think the amount is enough for the suffering endured during
their detention of almost 24 hours behind bars," he remarked in
newspaper reports.
The judge said the damages was not a reward but a compensation for the hardship that they had suffered.
This was indeed a rare moment of victory for human rights.
Among the plaintiffs are Yap Swee Seng, former SUARAM executive
director and current ED of FORUM-ASIA. Other included former Parti
Rakyat Malaysia (Malaysian Peoples Party) secretary-general Sanusi
Othman, National Justice Party deputy president and senator Syed Husin
Ali, Batu parliamentarian Tian Chua, Malaysiakini chief executive
officer Premesh Chandran and Malaysiakini editor-in-chief Steven
Gan, Malaysian Trade Union Congress president Syed Shahir Syed
Mohamad, Subang MP R Sivarasa, Parti Sosialis Malaysia president Dr
Nasir Hashim and former New Era College principal Kua Kia Soong.
