By Nicholas Wong | May 10, 2012
Malaysiakini
Bersih co-chairperson Ambiga Sreenevasan today criticised Ikhlas for setting up a burger stall outside her home in protest of traders’ loss of income during the April 28 Bersih rally.
Speaking to reporters, she described the incident as an invasion of her privacy and her home, calling it a “terrible precedent” for the country.
“If the authorities accept this then ministers had better be careful, because people will be standing outside their houses next,” said Ambiga (left), adding that the she would let the public judge the situation for themselves.
While expressing concern for her family, Ambiga stressed that she was not afraid.
“Look who I have behind me,” she said, referring to the leaders of the various Bersih-affiliated NGOs standing behind her.
The leaders, which included Parti Sosialis Malaysia secretary-general S Arutchelvan, Ivy Josiah of the Women’s Aid Organisation and Bersih steering committee member Maria Chin Abdullah, were called at the last minute and rushed over in a show of support for Ambiga.
“This is intimidation. I will take the necessary steps.
“This has never happened in Malaysia, except to Lim Guan Eng. Now (he) and I have had our homes violated,” she added, referring to a “funeral rite” held by.Malay rights pressure group Perkasa outside the Penang chief minister’s home earlier today
Ambiga agreed that the traders had a right to make their claims, but questioned how she was to respond to their demands as she had not been given any information on those claims. “Not even a sheet of paper has been handed to me. So what do I respond to?”
She added the traders were perfectly entitled to file their claims in court, and even sue her if they wished to. “Let the judge decide whether they have a claim.”
However, they do not have the right to come to my home and behave in such a manner, she stressed.
She said she would file a police report immediately: “I have a duty to lodge a police report… this is about the whole neighbourhood, and my family.”
The police were present in a patrol car during the incident, but did not act against any of the Ikhlas members.
Stunned at ex-IGP leading probe panel
Meanwhile, she repeated her opposition to the appointment of former inspector-general of police Hanif Omar as the head of the independent panel to probe incidents of violence during the Bersih 3.0.
She stressed his remarks alleging pro-communist elements in the rally recently made him unsuitable for the position.
“(Hanif) has learnt law, so he should know that (his remarks) immediately disqualify him.”
She also lamented the lack of human rights experts or assemblies on the panel, adding that they would have to reconsider Bersih’s involvement in the panel’s investigation given their lack of confidence in it.
Maria Chin Abdullah added that it was not too late to set up a different panel, if the government was sincere in resolving the issue of police violence during the rally.
However, Bersih insists the government accept UN rapporteur Frank William La Rue’s invitation to assist the panel as well as appoint Suhakam to head the panel.
Bersih is after real issues. Umno is all about covering its butt and monkeying about.
Ambiga showing her middle finger?
I like that middle finger shown by Ambiga.
These buggers claimed Bersih spoil their business…when restaurants that are opened made roaring business…non stop for two days and nights.
These idiots should blame the Govt putting out so many road blocks as if the participants including me are trouble makers.
Who are the real trouble makers?
How on earth BERSIH means CLEAN supported by 250,000 participants are labelled as traitors to the Govt and Najib?
Get your sotong eyes checked. Its her index finger. BTW I wonder where this group got their figure of RM 100 million lost by their members on 28 April. Can they show their past year’s tax returns???
This is the problem with rightwingers in UMNO – they don’t get the difference between freedom of expression and harassment i.e. between exercising one’s right and infringing on others because their sense of entitlement has been so perverted for so long they have lost their sensibility.
Talking or reasoning to them is useless because they have suspended their mental exercise long time ago. No point trying to revive atrophied brain-cells.
The real issue is these people are fighting for a dying cause – the crime is their own waste of time and energy as well as ours. Its like that dysfunctional relative, that keeps making trouble for everyone else we all have that just have to ignore until they come to their senses.
#4 cskok8, it’s supposed to be her middle finger but she’s too polite to do that.
So suffice to say that the index finger will do!
By the way, these crooks will stop at nothing to safeguard their gravy train, do they?
Everything, including the laws have been bent to ensure that the gravy train is not derailed.
That’s why they have been insisting that everybody play by the rules when they know full well that they have bent them to their favour for the past five over decades!
Looks very law abiding but in fact these laws are made by outlaws to suit their purposes!!!
Why not get a crowd to ridicule them?
Also, call the foreign press like Aljazeera, BBC etc to air this on their program!
That should make interesting news to the international community.
Let them laugh at the PM every time he travels overseas!!!!
OK. Its confirmed. You are stupid. Now pls go away.
So ambiga caused loss of business to petty traders on that day? And so these ppl saw it their duty to do something to reclaim those missing profits on behalf of all those affected traders.
Typical umno plot. Always claiming to act in the name and for the interest of some unknown and random individuals. Look at the bersih movement. 300,000 ppl (kl city alone) came to support the call for free and fair election. Ambiga certainly was not merely claiming to act in the interest of some unknowns. See the difference. How unlike umno, always deceiving ppl.
I believe Ambiga is a Hindu by religion which forbids the consumption of beef. UMNO purposely made beef burgers in front of her house and attempted to serve her beef burgers. This is a disgusting violation and disrespect of her religious belief! Where is the police despite police report being made? What would happen if we set up a char siew pau stall in front of Najip’s house and throw him a char siew pau? Will the police react differently? What has happened to the integrity and professionalism of the police force?
Holding a mock funeral for Lim Guan Eng in front of his house and behaving like louts exemplifies what UMNO and Perkasa has become after 22 years of despotic rule by Mamakkutty.
Mamakkutty is the adviser, patron and mentor of Perkasa. So it is safe to assume that all their thuggish and violent behaviour has the blessings of Mamakkutty.
The stupid and idiotic morons who put up burger stalls in front of Ambiga’s house seem to have the blessings of DBKL and the police. Their inaction to evict those imbeciles from doing their business in front of Ambig’s house speaks volumes about their racist and professional makeup.
The PDRM, be it in Penang or in KL has shown that they are not fit to be the law and order custodians of the country. They are no better than the underworld mafia and ah long who ply their trade against the interests of law abiding citizens.
Police officers expect citizens to be friends and help them in their duties to keep public order and peace but in practice they are the oppressors of peaceful citizens by being meek and cowardly when coming face to face with bullies, trouble makers and law breakers.
Our country is fast becoming the home for mafias and their henchmen, the PDRM.