Has Maria’s torments awakened the sleeping giant in us?

Maria Chin released after 10-day detention

Anonymous #21828131: The home minister was tongue-tied, the inspector-general of police (IGP) took potshots at her, the Umno information chief seemed to know more and released wild information about her links to the CIA, the attorney-general (AG) claimed that her arrest and solitary confinement was within the ambits of the law (meaning he acted after “obtaining” proof).

So, who gave the order to arrest her? I believe your guess is as good as mine. I think that answer is on everyone’s lips.

Rick Teo: The release of Bersih chairperson Maria Chin Abdullah does not end here. This is just the beginning.

Indeed, the AG, the IGP and the home minister will have to answer for their abuse of the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma).

Ferdtan: All Malaysians are happy that Maria was released without conditions. Well done to all, including the politicians, for attending the daily vigils since Maria was detained.

The vigils were a huge success as large crowds came despite repeated warnings by the IGP that action would be taken against them.

Aside from the mounting public pressure, Maria’s habeas corpus case also forced the government to release her before the court’s hearing.

The reason probably was that they could not justify the detention under Sosma as the court would have asked for it. Instead of been made a fool, they quickly released her.

However, Maria is not out of the woods yet. She will definitely be investigated under another law and could be arrested again, this time perhaps under the Sedition Act.

The Mask: Thank God, all our prayers are answered. Releasing her a day before her habeas corpus proved that the police have no case against her. To be ordered by the court to free her would be a lost face for the police.

Speechless: Maria’s unlawful detention under Sosma was to intimidate her. The government has underestimated the strength of Maria and the anger of her supporters. Maria has become a unifying force for all who want justice.

Rick Teo: Maria should sue the IGP, the home minister and the AG for her incarceration.

Roar For Truth: Injustice has been done to this towering Malaysian. There is no shred of evidence to prove she has any intention to change the government by violence or force, except through education the populace of their constitutional rights.

Yes, someone must pay for this injustice.

How Maria’s Sosma detention saved Bersih 5

JD Lovrenciear: Writer Hazlan Zakaria, you have provided a ‘true’ analysis. Yes, Umno has driven a deeper wedge into its badly battered image.

This is what happens when the powers-that-be think and act from a pedestal of ‘We know best’ and ignore public opinion.

Bersih followers rightly say, “Thanks to our IGP for not standing up against the power brokers.”

Iiiizzzziiii: In a totalitarian country, the only thing that can bring down a regime is when a regime unknowingly presses the self-destruct button.

I think the Najib regime has just done it without realising the repercussions it will carry after attempting to silence its chief critic by incarcerating her in jail under the pretext of engaging in so-called activities detrimental to parliamentary democracy.

And the IGP has just did everyone a favour by arresting Maria under Sosma, and in the process has awakened the sleeping giant in many of us. And now it is only a matter of time before the world comes crashing down on the regime.

FellowMalaysian: Putting Maria in a detention cell will not subdue her even the slightest bit.

In fact, Maria and Bersih will become stronger as the wickedness done against her in keeping her in solitary confinement will not be easily forgotten.

Aussie71: In Australia, the Bersih rallies and the arrest of Maria have had good airtime on our news networks.

Little do Umno know that their attempts to shut down and silence their critics is a huge promotional benefit for Bersih.

Negarawan: A political scandal of a similar proportion like 1MDB and MO1 (Malaysian Official 1) in another country like South Korea or in Europe or the US would have elicited a more widespread and emotional public reaction.

Why the difference then? Perhaps these other countries have a history of past revolutions that have been embedded in the psyche of their people.

Perhaps the Malaysian people do not treasure their rights and freedom as much, and are not firm in their principles. Perhaps economic factors are closer to the hearts of Malaysians, and they will only react when their pocket hurts.

Well, the ringgit is heading for RM5 to the US dollar, probably within the next six months, primarily because of the loss of confidence of the financial markets in the Umno regime.

Will Malaysians then react because of their life principles or their rice bowls? Sadly, Malaysia is currently heavily dependent on foreign countries to fight its causes. Such is the case with the 1MDB scandal.

Anonymous_1371458513: How can the IGP deem Maria as dangerous, when the number of Bersih supporters dropped from 100,000 to only l5,000 as claimed by PDRM?

She was detained under Sosma because the PDRM found documents that Bersih received funding from foreigners, so when Najib admitted receiving funding from the Saudis, why was he not probed and jailed under Sosma?

The above is a selection of comments posted by Malaysiakini subscribers. Only paying subscribers can post comments. Over the past one year, Malaysiakinians have posted over 100,000 comments. Join the Malaysiakini community and help set the news agenda. Subscribe now.

These comments are compiled to reflect the views of Malaysiakini subscribers on matters of public interest. Malaysiakini does not intend to represent these views as fact.