Dinesh Muthal, speaking for himself and three other lawyers from the Kuala Lumpur Urgent Arrest Team, told FMT they waited for nearly six hours yesterday at the gate to the Kuala Lumpur Police Contingent Headquarters before police allowed one of them to see the clients.

Dinesh and his colleagues – Lim Chi Chau, Jacky Loi, and Arina Ong – are representing Perak assemblyman Howard Lee, artist Fahmi Reza, political activist Hishamuddin Rais and a Bersih rally participant named Siew Teck Soon, who allegedly used a drone during the rally.

Dinesh said police eventually allowed Loi to see the clients for 10 to 15 minutes before shifting them to the Dang Wangi Police Station pending remand proceedings, which will be conducted today.

The International Union of Socialist Youth (IUSY) has issued a statement on its website condemning the arrest of Lee, who is its president, and other opposition members.

“IUSY and YES (Young European Socialist Members Organisation) condemn the sudden and unfair arrest of IUSY President Howard Lee and other members of the opposition in Malaysia,” it said.

“IUSY and YES demand the immediate release of President Lee and the cessation of all politically driven arrests in Malaysia, calling for their human and political rights to be respected.”

Bernama yesterday quoted Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi as saying that more people who joined the Bersih 5 and Red Shirt rallies would be arrested and charged in court.

He said police had with them a list of the individuals to be arrested.