The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak is leading the Barisan
Nasional propaganda campaign of damage control to minimize the adverse
fall-outs from the government mishandling of Bersih 3.0 “sit-in” at
Dataran Merdeka for free and fair elections with wild and far-fetched
allegations, for instance, that Bersih 3.0 was an attempt by the
opposition to topple the Barisan Nasional government.
In actual fact, Bersih 3.0 marked the greatest awakening, empowerment
and unity among Malaysians transcending race, religion, class, region,
gender or age to demonstrate their love for the country and concern for
cleans elections for a clean Malaysia.
What is undeniable is that Bersih 3.0 is proving to be a bigger
public relations disaster for Najib and his image as a “reformer” and
“transformer” with every passing day.
Suhakam has said that the “heavy-handed and arbitrary manner” in
which the police used “disproportionate and unwarranted force against
the participants of the rally as well as members of the media” in the
Bersih 3.0 rally was “unacceptable conduct” while the Bar Council has
said that police brutality against protestors during Bersih 3.0 had
worsened as compared to the Bersih 2.0 rally on July 9 last year.
Yesterday, Suhakam announced findings that the police had violated
human rights when they fired tear gas in the vicinity of public
amenities like Tung Shin Hospital,k Chinese Maternity Hospital and KL
Sentral, where public safety was at risk.
Can there can any doubt of the outcome of any full and credible
public inquiry into the human rights violations in the police rampage of
excessive, disproportionate and indiscriminate use of force, whether
firing tear gas, chemically-lacked water cannon, brutality and violence
against peaceful protestors and media representatives?
The Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Ismail Omar has said that he
wants justice for all parties concerned, including members of the media
and policemen who were injured.
I agree with the IGP that “Just because there are hooligans in the
police force does not mean that the entire organization comprise thugs” –
and this is why a full and credible public inquiry must be held to
ensure that there is justice for all the Bersih 3.0 victims of the
brutality and violence – whether police, media representatives or
peaceful protestors.
I also agree that the police had acted with utmost restraint and
professionalism until about 3 pm last Saturday or half an hour after
the announcement by the Bersih 3.0 organisers of the ending of the
rally and calling for dispersal of the protestors.
It was after 3 pm that there was a breakdown of police restraint and
professionalism, where there was a police rampage of violence and
brutality.
There are at least eight questions that a full and credible public
inquiry into the “428” Bersih 3.0 violence must provide answers.
1. 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?
2. 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?
3. Why were some police personnel without name tags and numbers?
4. Why were media and press representatives targeted and attacked by the police, with cameras smashed, memory cards removed?
5. 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”?
6. 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?
7. 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?
8. Whether the time has come for the full implementation of the
125 recommendations of the Dzaiddin Police Royal Commission of Inquiry
to create an efficient, professional, incorruptible world-class police
service focussed on the three core functions of keeping crime low,
eradicate corruption and uphold human rights – in particular the
establishment of an Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct
Commission.
According to the parliamentary time-table, Parliament is scheduled to
meet for 12 days from 11th to 28th June, while the 2013 Budget
Parliament is to begin on 24th September and to go on for 34 days until
27th November – a 34-day meeting. The 2013 Budget Day is scheduled for
Friday, 28th September 2012.
Najib has to decide in the next few days whether to hold general elections in June or to push it back further.
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