There was a rumour that have been floating around that the Magistrates have been directed to order remand for a period not less that 7 days, and bail at not less than RM2,000/- when it comes to the "Reformasi" cases. Is it a coincidence that on 16/11/98 and 18/11/98 the last two times when persons arrested for "illegal assembly" have seen the Magistrate ordering a remand of 7 days. Is there truth behind the rumour that there is such a direction from above?

For information, previous cases of illegal assembly saw Magistrates giving remand orders of only 3-4 days. Even when the number of suspects arrested were over hundred, remand orders of 3-4 days.

On 17/11/98, about 17 persons were arrested in connection with an "illegal" assembly. On 18/11/98, only two persons were brought before the Magistrate for remand. For a fact, we know that some had been released unconditionally. What happened to the others is still a mystery.

On 18/11/98, lawyers from the Legal Aid Centre went before Y.A.Datuk Wahab Patail (Criminal High Court (1) Judge) with a request that the said judge do a revision of the remand proceedings on 16.11.98, where the Legal Aid lawyers were denied access when the matter was heard despite the fact that the said lawyers had put on record(in writing) that they were acting for all those arrested for illegal assembly on 15.11.98.

Good News: The judge while refusing to do revision informed the lawyers that he will direct the Magistrate who heard the remand application on 16.11.98 to re-hear the remand application in the afternoon of 19.11.98.