(May 26): Putrajaya today denied police practised double standard in their treatment against individuals who picketed in front of the Kelana Jaya Customs office in March and those who protested against a cross at a Taman Medan church last month.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said investigations were conducted fairly regardless if it involved influential individuals or otherwise.

"Police have never practised double standards or selective investigation in any of their investigations or action," he said in a written reply to Lim Kit Siang (DAP-Gelang Patah).

More than 100 people staged a sit-in at the Customs office on March 23 to get answers to 106 questions they had submitted to the department ahead of the April 1 rollout of the goods and services tax (GST).

The sit-in was led by Parti Socialis Malaysia (PSM) and among its participants were a coalition of civil society organisations against the tax called Gabungan Bantah GST.

Police broke up the sit-in later that evening and arrested some 79 people amid a scuffle between protesters and police, with police herding people into trucks.

On April 19, a group of about 40 Muslims from Taman Medan protested in front of the shoplot where the Community of Praise Petaling Jaya church was located, demanding that the cross affixed to the building facade be taken down.

They claimed the cross was a challenge to Islam and would sway the faith of youth in the area.

Among the protesters was Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar's brother, Datuk Abdullah Abu Bakar who said he was there to help calm the situation.

Zahid said police had investigated the GST protest under Section 143 of the Penal Code for being part of an unlawful assembly and Section 353 of the same law for deterring a civil servant from his duties.

Investigations were also conducted under Section 14 of the Minor Offences Act 1955.

He said 79 people were arrested and 25 were remanded for two days from March 24 to 25.

A total of 52 people were charged in stages at the Petaling Jaya court on April 23 and May 2, and case management has been set for today.

On the church protest, Zahid said the police were investigating the case under Section 448/511 of the Penal Code for trying to infiltrate a building. He said those identified have been summoned to give statements and police were in the process of completing the investigation papers to be forwarded to the attorney-general for further action.

"While the Federal Constitution allows the freedom to gather and give opinions, it also sets a limit. In other words, there is no absolute freedom for anyone to freely gather and voice their views, especially since if it is against the country's laws." – The Malaysian Insider