KUALA LUMPUR (April 6): Opposition lawmakers today questioned the manner in which PKR secretary-general Rafizi Ramli was arrested by police, saying it could be deemed a violation of Rafizi's rights by blocking him from attending the last two sittings of the current parliamentary meeting, that is, today and tomorrow.

Rafizi, a member of parliament (MP) for Pandan, was arrested under Section 8 of the Official Secrets Act by Bukit Aman police as he exited the compound of Parliament yesterday. At the time of writing, he has yet to be released from the detention centre.

"The issue is not on why he was arrested, but why was he arrested while he was still on parliament grounds. Whatever actions that the police want to take in the compound, they are first required to notify the Speaker," Pokok Sena MP Datuk Mahfuz Omar told reporters today.

"In March, a motion was suggested for the path of MPs to the parliamentary hall to not be blocked and that the Parliament had mandated the secretary to inform the IGP (Inspector-General of Police) that the path should not be obstructed," he added.

Kuala Terengganu MP Datuk Raja Kamarul Bahrin Shah Raja Ahmad is of the view that the police had acted cruelly, as Rafizi was leaving to pick up his two-year-old son from day care yesterday and that he has said he was willing to give full cooperation to the police on the issues he raised.

Raja Kamarul added that Rafizi has been called up by the police before and has had no issues when his statements were requested.

"It has happened numerous times. When the police call him up to make a statement at the police station, he always shows up with no problems. In fact, any opposition MP, when called, will show up. But the actions of the police yesterday were something of evil intent.

"Their actions exposed the misuse of power by the authorities involved. I urge the Speaker to uphold the Parliament and request the freedom of Rafizi," said Raja Kamarul.

In a statement today, DAP Parliamentary Leader and MP for Gelang Patah Lim Kit Siang said the police arrest of Rafizi is a clear-cut case of parliamentary contempt, which is "doubly unacceptable and inexcusable" when there is an unanimous motion passed by Parliament instructing the IGP to ensure no obstruction for MPs to make their way to and from Parliament.

"Why can't Rafizi be arrested after the adjournment of Parliament tomorrow? Will the whole system of law and order come crumbling down?" Lim asked.

"Malaysia cannot allow the IGP to thumb the nose of Parliament as well as the nose of the international society, with the latest revelation of the Panama Papers ...," he said.

"I am still suspended from Parliament for six months but I add my voice to those of all MPs who cherish parliamentary privileges and dignity in Malaysia and demand that the IGP (Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar) must not obstruct Rafizi from attending the last two sittings of Parliament today and tomorrow, or Khalid should be jailed by an unanimous parliamentary motion until he purged his contempt of Parliament," added Lim.

Last month, Rafizi had cited the Auditor General's report on 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB), which is a classified document, claiming the delays in gratuity payments to non-pensionable veteran soldiers could be the result of dealings between the Lembaga Tabung Angkatan Tentera (LTAT) and 1MDB. LTAT had refuted the claim.