He said she was arrested after police reports had been lodged against her.
“It is not because of Bersih.
“Her family knows why she is arrested.
“Also please ask the Inspector-General of Police for details,” he said at the Parliament lobby after wrapping up debate on the home ministry’s 2017 Budget at the Dewan Rakyat today.
Asked who gave the orders to the police to lock up Maria, he said the home ministry looked into the policies while the police looked into operational issues.
“We will look into questioning her and making sure she is given good treatment.”
Asked if it was an abuse of the Special Offences (Security Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma) as it was not meant to detain politicians and organisers of rallies, Nur Jazlan refused to go into details, but replied, “I want to say they (police) followed procedures (in detaining her)”.
He explained Sosma was an enabling act to the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC).
“She was charged under the CPC, which is under Sosma, to allow police to investigate her.”
Earlier, in the Dewan Rakyat, Nur Jazlan said he was unable to answer questions raised by the opposition regarding Maria’s arrest as it was sub judice.
“I prepared answers on Maria Chin.
“(But) I just received information she has filed a habeas corpus. It will be sub judice (to answer),” he told opposition lawmakers.
Several opposition lawmakers had questioned the justification for several arrests made during Bersih 5 and the arrest of Maria in particular under Sosma.
However, the debate was abruptly ended by deputy speaker Ronald Kiandee.
Kiandee instead called for a vote for those supporting the budget.
Lawyers representing Maria had filed a habeas corpus application today to challenge her detention under the act and to seek her immediate release.
Lawyer Ambiga Sreenevasan said the grounds for the application were filed on one of the conditions of Maria’s detention — solitary confinement.
Maria was arrested on Friday, a day before thousands took part in the Bersih 5 rally in the Kuala Lumpur city centre. Another group, calling themselves the Red Shirts, supporting the government, also staged a counter rally. Police separated both groups to prevent any clashes.