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IGP and top police officers should stop issuing arbitrary and politically-inspired directives

The past five weeks before and after the 709 Bersih 2.0 rally for a free and fair elections must be one of the most difficult times for ordinary police personnel all over the country in recent years, for they were forced to become bullies instead of being “friends and protectors” of the people whose first priority is to reduce crime to make people safe.

In these five weeks, police throughout the country were forced to comply with arbitrary and politically-inspired directives from the top police leadership whose primary objective is not to make the ordinary Malaysian people safe but to protect the existing regime in power.

Police were required to hound the public for wearing the innocuous Bersih T-shirt to the extent that xanthophobia (irrational fear of yellow) became a commonplace word with police not only arresting persons wearing the yellow-coloured Bersih 2.0 T-shirt but even for wearing yellow T-shirts!
Continue reading “IGP and top police officers should stop issuing arbitrary and politically-inspired directives”

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The EO 6 freed – but are they free?

By P Ramakrishnan, Aliran’s President | 2 August 2011

Considering the fact that all these six citizens were accused of very serious offences in the first instance and subsequently cleared, this news that they will be charged tomorrow is disturbing to Malaysians.

The police initially accused them of treason, which if proven would make them traitors to the country. This is a terrible accusation. One would think that without solid proof this accusation would not be levelled against them.

Mysteriously, this accusation simply disappeared into thin air. Next they were accused of posing a threat to public order. This, again, is a serious offence. Malaysians were anxiously waiting to be convinced in what ways these six were a threat to public order. Strangely, nothing was produced to support the police claim.
Continue reading “The EO 6 freed – but are they free?”

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Why the gov’t is paranoid

By KJ John
Aug 2, 11 | MalaysiaKini

I always believed paranoia was the sickness of weak and fearful people, or those who have just cause for abject fear. For example, after 9/11, the Americans were absolutely overcome with paranoia only because such an unfortunate incident was “not in their paradigm of possibilities; worse still, probabilities!” Therefore, I could tolerate, accept and appreciate their paranoia as they did three 100 percent complete checks on me within the same airport in November 2001.

But, why is the government of Malaysia also paranoid these days? First we ban “an avowedly peaceful rally to ask for clean and fair elections”. Nonetheless, it then became the best example of a peaceful rally of ordinary Malaysians reflecting the 1Malaysia syndrome; except for police disturbance. Continue reading “Why the gov’t is paranoid”

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Malay contractors call MCA racist, defend Penang government

By Yow Hong Chieh
August 02, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 2 — The Malay Contractors Association of Malaysia’s (PKMM) Penang branch has defended the state’s open tender system as fair and warned Penang MCA to stop politicising contracts awarded to Bumiputeras there.

Acting Penang PKMM chief Datuk Izham Merican today condemned what he said was Penang MCA’s “ignorance” for failing to understand that open tenders allowed the state government to select the best and most competitively priced contractors, regardless of race. Continue reading “Malay contractors call MCA racist, defend Penang government”