Political violence: Pakatan moots bi-partisan panel

 

Pakatan Rakyat has called for a bi-partisan committee to be set up to address the disturbing rise in political violence.

DAP leader Ronnie Liu said that incidents of political violence had reached "frightening" levels in recent months with threats of violence becoming commonplace.

He cited Sri Gading parliamentarian Mohamad Aziz's call for Bersih co-chairperson Ambiga Sreenevasan's hanging and the death threats she has received as examples.

"A number of NGOs have advocated a joint committee to be formed with politicians from both sides to resolve the problem, and we agree with them," said Liu, who is a Selangor exco member, yesterday.

Meru assemblyperson Abdul Rani Osman also complained that more than a dozen police reports have been lodged on variouis incidents of political violence but to no avail.

This includes a report over Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng being allegedly assaulted from behind by a Perkasa activist at Teluk Bahang on Sunday.

"In that incident, we have photographed and identified the assailant, yet no charges have been brought against him.

"If a chief minister can be attacked in such a way, imagine how ordinary citizens will be treated," decried Rani, who is also Selangor PAS chief.

Pelted with eggs and rocks

Other incidents cited by the Pakatan representatives included the pelting of a ceramah at PKR MP Nurul Izzah Anwar's constituency of Lembah Pantai with eggs and rocks, and the assault of two Malaysian Indian Voice leaders (photo below), both from DAP, in Klang, landing them in hospital.

Sekinchan assemblyperson Ng Suee Lim also related how he too was hospitalised for three days after being attacked by more than 30 men while visiting Sawah Sempadan in November 2010.

He claimed no action was taken against his assailants because they kept refusing to turn up at the police station to be identified by him, and the authorities have not compelled them to do so.

Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim himself was not spared - he was attacked by a mob in February when he visited Johor where the windscreen and other parts of his car was damaged.

Liu claimed that Umno members have shown an increased tendency to resort to violence, and this was tacitly supported by Prime Minister Najib Razak.

"Najib has refused to guarantee that BN will allow for a peaceful transition of power if they lose the 13th general election. This is not a good sign," he lamented.