It is an act of utter bad faith for the Najib administration to charge the Leader of the Opposition, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and PKR leaders Azmin Ali and Badrul Hashim for breach of the Dataran Merdeka barricades during the Bersih 3.0 rally on April 28 when this should be one of the major terms of reference of a full and impartial inquiry into the Bersih 3.0 violence promised by the Prime Minister.
Did Anwar and Azmin give the signal for the crowd to breach the barricades, as the Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein maintained in his interview with Sunday Star “The search for the real story” two days ago?
But the views of Hishammuddin (who has often confused his role between Home Minister responsible for security regardless of political party or persons and that of UMNO Vice President whose primary task is to demonise the Opposition however baseless and unprincipled) cannot be the basis or reason for the prosecution of Anwar, Azmin and Badrul, especially as Hishammuddin has given the country the assurance that an impartial and comprehensive inquiry into the Bersih 3.0 violence would be established to find out the truth of what happened on April 28.
The sudden and abrupt prosecution of Anwar, Azmin and Badrul in connection with the breach of the Dataran Merdeka barricades smack of mala fide on the part of the Najib premiership because it is clearly designed to pre-empt and avoid any independent, impartial and comprehensive inquiry into this important issue. This is all the more deplorable when the trio had strenuously denied giving the signal to breach the barricades, as borne out by video testimony.
The terms of reference of the Hanif Omar “independent advisory probe” have not been finalized, but clearly with the prosecution of Anwar, Azmin and Badrul, this important issue would be excluded on the ground that it would be sub judice as there is already a pending case specifically on the matter in the courts.
This is apart from the important consideration of the total unsuitability of having Tun Hanif Omar to head the “independent advisory panel” as it is like appointing Tun Dr. Mahathir to head a commission of inquiry into RM100 billion losses suffered by the country from the various financial scandals during his 22-year premiership.
With the prosecution of Anwar, Azmin and Badrul, even the Suhakam probe into Bersih 3.0 violence could be prevented from inquiring and establishing whether anyone of them had given the signal for the breach of the Dataran Merdeka barricades.
This is because Section 12 (Part III) of the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia Act 1999 on “Powers of Inquiry of the Commission” states:
“12. Commission may inquire on own motion or on complaint
(1) The Commission may, on its own motion or on a complaint made to it by an aggrieved person or group of persons or a person acting on behalf of an aggrieved person or a group of persons, inquire into an allegation of the infringement of the human rights of such person or group of person.
(2) The Commission shall not inquire into any complaint relating to any allegation of the infringement of human rights which—
(a) is the subject matter of any proceedings pending in any court, including any appeals; or
(b) has been finally determined by any court.(3) If the Commission inquires into an allegation under subsection 12(1) and
during the pendency of such inquiry the allegation becomes the subject matter of any proceedings in any court, the Commission shall immediately cease to do the inquiry.”
The Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) must be commended for its decision yesterday to conduct a public inquiry into the Bersih 3.0 rally, saying it could “no longer wait” for Putrajaya’s independent panel to release its terms of reference.
Was the sudden and abrupt decision by the Attorney-General to charge Anwar, Azmin and Badrul in connection with the breach of the Dataran Merdeka barricades caused by information received by the government that Suhakam was going to make such an announcement and a last-minute decision to oust and pre-empt any Suhakam inquiry from conducting an independent and impartial investigation into the “breach” on the Dataran Merdeka barricades?
The Prime Minister, the Home Minister and the Attorney-General should not tie the hands of the Suhakam inquiry from carrying out an independent, impartial and comprehensive inquiry into the Bersih 3.0 violence, including whether Anwar and Azmin had given the signal for the breach of the barricades, as well as the following eight issues:
1. Was there a coup d’etat attempt in Bersih 3.0 to topple the government?
2. Why was there a police rampage of excessive, disproportionate and indiscriminate use of force, whether tear-gas, chemically-laced water cannon or physical violence and brutality against peaceful protestors after 3 pm and lasting some five hours that day?
3. For those who broke through the “barricade”, why the police did not just take action against them instead of punishing the vast peaceful majority who had gathered in peace and wanted to disperse in peace?
4. Why were some police personnel without name tags and numbers?
5. Why were media and press representatives targeted and attacked by the police, with cameras smashed, memory cards removed?
6. Why were some of the LRT stations ordered to close after the tear gas/water cannot rampage started? Was it the intention of the police to disperse the people or to “trap” them to “teach them a lesson”?
7. Was it it true that the airwaves were purposely jammed so that communication was hindered causing further confusion in the midst of a stressful situation?
8. Who in the police force or the Home Ministry who were responsible in giving the greenlight for these human rights violations and disregard of principles for the use of force and firearms by police personnel?
To establish the bona fides of the government in wanting to establish the truth of what happened on April 28, the Attorney-General should withdraw and put on hold all prosecutions in connection with Bersih 3.0 rally until the outcome of an independent, impartial and comprehensive inquiry.
“Search for the real story”?
No need lah, the rakyat know the story!
Go ahead to charge AAB and lose Putra Jaya!
Bottom line…will the new 2 million young voters be fooled by the so call concerned government with all their twists & turn…lies and deceits.
PR politicians and their members should not fall into this chess game..to make counter moves.
Talk and expose them….and their members should stay as calm as a cucumber.
Let them accuse and do silly things..as much as they like.
Do not fall into their provocations.
250,000 have walked and sat at BERSIH 3 and supported around the world.
In Malaysia..People Power will change the Govt. without fights.
Through Bersih 3.0 the people delivered a massive right blow onto umno. It could well be the blow that eventually floors umno. Time will tell. So let us wait for GE13 to see the full extent of the damage done. Instead of taking remedial actions umno in its typical arrogant and bullying ways decided to find fault. Thinking that bersih is all about anwar, azmin and badrul umno took the decision to charge them in court. Good move umno. Well done! (1) You got the wrong tree, idiot. Bersih is really one faceless movement. If one must put a face to that movement then the face of a common malaysian would best represent the movement – the many many smilling and yet determined and purposeful-looking faces one saw on one’s left and right during the Bersih rally. Not the face of anwar or ambiga or badrul. (2) The momentum behind bersih is none other than umno. Umno bullied, oppressed and stole far too much. It has become unbearable and now the people is determined to stop all of umno’s nonsense. Umno is the real driving factor for bersih and not anwar or ambiga or badrul or azmin. (3) By charging the three in court umno is actually making good attempt to keep the wound it suffered during Bersih 3.0 open for a much longer time. How unnecessary. How very stupid. Above all, how very good for all of us the Bersih people.
ABU!
It was an evil act with the intention to put opposition leaders behind bars so as to stifle the voice of the opposition.
Najib is telling all Malaysians that Anwar…Azmin. and Badrul are the TRAITORS!!!
Najib has no more other ideas to catch votes.
Desperate people do apply all sorts of desperate means.
Najib is like a drowning man holding on to straws.
Take Anwar as an example….how many times have we seen him going to court for this or that criminal acts.
This itself tells you whom.. Najib fear most.
Mahathir feared Anwar as he was pushing Mahathir to retire.
We can SEE how Mahathir tried to shut Anwar’s mouth.
Najib is a pawn for Mahathir to continue governing behind the curtain.
Anwar is not guilty of anything.
It’s dirty politics on and on….to frustrate and shut Oppositions mouths.
The more they do that…the more People Power will come out and vote these sickos out.
From BERSIH 3 event onwards…it is provocations…insults…bully….back at the forefront.
Provocations is their main weapon to see Malaysians go to the streets and fight each other.
Fortunately….in Malaysia..the Police and Navy are split and will not dare to go to the extreme.
Najib’s plan to have an excuse for Emergency Rule..backfired…cannot work at all.
It’s 13th GE that he is afraid to loose.
They can charge,they can lie,deceive,cheat,squander and plunder.But the people know all their evil acts and they will fall soon.They have become desperate and have resorted to thuggery,gangsterism,intimidation and all sorts of underhand tactics just to scare and frighten the people.Anyway all these dirty acts will fail as the people are not blind.
After 15 years….millions are given to farmers….making them happy happy.
I talked to a farmer son who is a motor mechanic and he said…he is happy too.
I asked him..does he know Oil.. belongs to all Malaysians and he worked so hard…how much dividend did he get from his EPF?
He knew Mahathir took..RM1.2 billion from EPF to save his son…and so instead of getting at least 3% dividends…he got 1%,
Mahathir has cheated him and all EPF contributors 2%.
Rich buggers do not feel the pinch..but all middle class and factory workers…suffer most from this terrible thief.
He listened and felt sad.
Najib administration to charge Anwar, Azmin and Badrul readily debunks Najib’s claim that the new assembly law offers more freedom. In reality, the new assembly law, which is riddled with “traps” and allows authorities to interpret according to their whims and fancies, is more strict than the old one.
Najib should stop fooling the rakyat that he is a good reformer. He should learn from Myanmar what reform is all about.
Yes. BN will lock up all Pakatan MP soon so that BN can have a smooth sailing for GE13.
Floor your opponents on the way to GE so that you would be left with no worthy opponents who could floor you during GE.
Fat hope umno. This GE is about ABU. In case you are still unsure, that means anyone but umno. So lock up anwar for all you want umno. It does not matter one bit.