Maria Chin settles suit with IGP and govt

KUALA LUMPUR: The suit by former Bersih 2.0 chairman Maria Chin Abdullah against the Inspector-General of Police and two other defendants, pertaining to her wrongful detention under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma) in 2016, was settled amicably.

Lawyer Datuk Dr Gurdial Singh Nijar, representing Maria, said the IGP, Home Minister and the government agreed to pay RM25,000 in damages.

The settlement was also reached without admission of liability.

“All the defendants also agreed to pay the cost of RM5,000 to the plaintiff. The consent of judgment was recorded,” he told reporters after the management of the case in High Court Judge Datuk Nik Hasmat Nik Mohamad’s chambers.

The proceeding was also attended by senior federal counsel Kamal Azira Hassan, who acted on behalf of the three defendants.

On Aug 6 last year, Maria, 63, who is also Petaling Jaya MP, sued the three defendants for allegedly causing her to be wrongfully arrested under Sosma.

In her statement of claim, Maria said she was arrested and detained under Sosma at the Bersih office on Nov 18, 2016, and her belongings, including a mobile phone, several computer equipment and documents, were also seized.

She claimed that her arrest was politically motivated and was done to serve the purpose of the party helming the government at the time to thwart efforts to hold a peaceful assembly, and to frighten the public from attending the rally.

The plaintiff claimed that her 10-day detention from Nov 18 was aimed at suppressing her, including forcing her to sleep in an individual cell without windows and sleeping on a concrete floor with only a woodboard and without any mattress, pillows and blankets. — Bernama