PETALING JAYA: The 3am police arrest of caretaker Kedah Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor is not sensible, says Sim Tze Tzin said.
The Pakatan Harapan Bayan Baru MP said while Sanusi may have been in the wrong, his arrest should have been handled in a more practical manner.
"Sanusi is a mentri besar. He's not a suspect who ran away. The arrest could've been done in the morning or in the evening.
"It is not sensible to do so after midnight. The police SOP that was made during a state of emergency must be revised, in line with the Malaysia Madani principles upheld by Prime Minister (Datuk Seri) Anwar Ibrahim," he said in a statement on Tuesday (July 18).
Former PKR vice-president N. Surendran also expressed disappointment with the government for using the Sedition Act 1948 against Sanusi.
"I was charged twice under the Sedition Act during the Barisan Nasional regime over statements I made defending Anwar Ibrahim over his sodomy case.
"Now under a new government led by Anwar, a political rival faces sedition charges. The ideals once fought for are forgotten. Pakatan once fought this law, now wields it," he said in a tweet on Tuesday.
Muda secretary-general Amir Abdul Hadi also questioned the need to arrest Muhammad Sanusi at 3am.
"I don't understand why an arrest had to be made at 3am. There should be an explanation.
"My stand is that the Sedition Act should not be used, what more against political foes," he tweeted.
It was reported that Sanusi was arrested at 3am this morning, according to his political secretary Hilmi Abd Wahab.
A video posted on social media showed Sanusi being surrounded by plainclothes policemen.
Hilmi said that a group of 20 policemen had waited outside Sanusi's hotel room before he was taken to the Gombak police headquarters.
He was then taken to the Selayang Sessions Court where he was slapped with two charges under the Sedition Act over a political speech he made on July 11.
Sanusi had allegedly insulted the Selangor Royal Institution during a political speech.
