Matthias Chang on hunger strike

Lawyer Matthias Chang has described his arrest under the Special Offences (Security Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma) as an act of intimidation against Malaysians fighting for justice and truth, and a reflection the government's "desperation and fear of the continuing exposures of the heinous crimes that have shamed the country". "My arrest and detention reveal glaringly for all to see how deceitful and dishonest the manner in which I was arrested and detained. "My arrest and detention is also a reflection of the cowardice of the prime minister and his cronies, the loyal but not smart members of the Umno Supreme Council, " Chang said in a statement posted on his blog after his arrest this afternoon. "This is a typical 'mind game' perpetrated by those who desire to subjugate a suspect to their will," he said. He was more than ready for such an eventuality, specifically the juvenile psychological mind games, he added, having been incarcerated before in Malaysia and Israel. Chang also declared that he had started a hunger strike to show all Malaysians that Umno leaders led by Najib were "cowards and untrustworthy". On September 25, Chang had challenged Datuk Seri Najib Razak and several other Cabinet ministers to go on hunger strikes to show their followers that they were willing to die for Malay dignity and to set a shining example. The defiant Chang went on to describe his arrest as a "heinous tactic to drive fear into the hearts and souls of all Malaysians to stem the rising tide of legitimate and constitutional rebellion against the alleged tyranny and corruption of the administration." He said it was an intimidation against Malaysians fighting for justice and truth, but also a reflection of the government's desperation and fear, mind-wracking fear of the continuing exposures of the heinous crimes that have shamed the country. Chang was detained this afternoon when he was visiting Khairuddin. Under Sosma, a suspect can be detained up to 29 days. He also said that he had met with Umno lawyer Tan Sri Shafee Abdullah and conveyed to the latter that his detention will not stop him exposing Najib's "crimes". – October 8, 2015.