|
I strongly condemn the arrest of 16 people who are the organizers and participants of the 'Ride for Change' program by the Oppressed Peoples Coalition (Jerit) in Johor Bahru, Saturday.
Police had locked the door of human rights organisation, Suaram's, Johor Bahru office, confiscated the identity cards of the detainees and interrogated them. One of the detainees was a 13-year-old student. The police have also imposed a ban on any cycling activity in Skudai, Johor. Anyone cycling alone would also be arrested. At the start of the campaign, one cyclist was arrested in Kedah and many were manhandled. These actions crystallize the abuse of power by the police. The police have got it all wrong if they think that their fear tactics and constant harassment would force the organisers to abandon the campaign. The campaign is part of Jerit's efforts to raise awareness of the current issues confronting the country such as food price hike, minimum wage, privatization projects, draconian laws, environmental threats and the current financial crisis. The clampdown on the cyclists clearly shows the ruling UMNO-led government's intolerance to dissent. The government has been using the police force to arrest dissidents and attack protesters at peaceful candle light vigils and demonstrations. It also gives us a glimpse of the possible self-styled dictatorship and political maneuvering of Prime Minister in waiting Najib Tun Razak and contradicts his recent statement. Najib advocated that the Barisan Nasional needs to change to accommodate the demands by Malaysians for greater democratic space in a recent interview on Al-Jazeera while his government continues to use preventive laws and threats of arrest to curb any opposition to the leadership. The current regime's willingness to crackdown on dissent is similar to oppressive antics used by former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad to stay in power. The same arrogance displayed by UMNO under the leadership of Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi led to the coalition's poor showing at the March general election. The people rejected Abdullah, who came to power with an overwhelming majority on a clean-government ticket, and his cronies. The Barisan Nasional government has, since, launched a series of attacks on civil society and the opposition. Bloggers have been jailed under the Internal Security Act which allows for detention without trial, journalists were attacked while on duty and now cyclists are denied their freedom of expression. These desperate measures by the government and the latest concerted effort to suppress the Jerit campaign further exposes the chinks in the ruling government and its weakening grip on power. It also shows that the BN government is not capable of reforming despite a public relations exercise embarked by Najib and other cabinet ministers on international television channels and various media platforms. As we look forward to the New Year with hopes for reforms within the country's administration, I urge the government to stop infringing on the democratic rights of the people. I also call upon SUHAKAM push for the implementation of the 125 recommendations by the Police Royal Commission. The government should urgently introduce the Independent Police Complaints and Monitoring Commission or IPCMC bill in parliament to reduce the abuse of police power.
Charles Santiago
Member of Parliament, Klang
016 626 7797
 |
The Blogs 
http://sjsandteam.*********.com/