“This is unprofessional as a whole, and violates his constitutional rights under Article 10 of the Federal Constitution,” PSM secretary-general M Sivaranjani told FMT in commenting on Arutchelvan’s release.

Article 10 guarantees citizens the rights to freedom of speech, assembly, and association.

Malaysiakini reported earlier today that Arutchelvan had been released on police bail after being questioned at the Dang Wangi police headquarters in Kuala Lumpur.

He was detained in connection with a scuffle outside Parliament last week, a move which Sivaranjani had described as unlawful and an abuse of power.

Sivaranjani said Arutchelvan had been accompanied by two lawyers, and was not mistreated during questioning.

“We didn’t receive any complaints from Arul (Arutchelvan) or the lawyers.”

Last Wednesday, Kuala Lumpur police chief Fadil Marsus said an investigation was opened following a commotion during the submission of a memorandum and a draft bill outside Parliament which was said to have left a police officer injured.

Fadil said police were investigating the case for mischief and the use of criminal force to deter a public servant from the discharge of his duty.

FMT previously reported that more than 100 plantation workers from Perak, Negeri Sembilan, Selangor, Kedah and Johor had marched from Taman Tugu in the capital to Parliament to submit a memorandum on housing and a draft bill making it compulsory for estates to provide homes for local plantation workers.

Police blocked the group from gathering at Parliament’s gates but later allowed the workers to hand over the documents to deputy law and institutional reform minister M Kulasegaran and opposition chief whip Takiyuddin Hassan.