Police are taking things too far in initiating investigations against two groups over their presence at the Prime Minister-cum-Cabinet Hari Raya Open House last Wednesday – the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) members and “I’m with RPK” supporters who had turned up at the Open House with T-shirts bearing the theme of their cause.
Four Hindraf members, K Shanti, wife of Hindraf leader-in-exile P Waythamoorthy, Hindraf information chief S Jayathas, Selangor coordinator K Tamilselvam and national events coordinator R Kannan have been served with written notice under Section 111 of the Criminal Procedure Code to report to the Dang Wangi district police headquarters on Tuesday to give their statements for illegal assembly under Section 27 (5) of the Police Act, as well as trespass under Section 447 of the Penal Code.
Three persons, lawyer-blogger Haris Ibrahim, lawyer Amarjit Sidhu and blogger P. Surind Raj are required to report to the police in connection with their “I’m with RPK” demonstration at the PWTC Hari Raya Open House.
Are the Umno leaders and Police seriously suggesting that the allegedly 200,000 people who visited the Prime Minister-cum-Cabinet Open House, particularly who went with more than five in number, could be investigated by the police for illegal assembly and trespass?
If so, Malaysians should think twice before they go to future Open Houses whether of the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister or Cabinet Ministers – as they risk criminal sanctions!
The Police should stop harassing Hindraf and RPK supporters for visiting the Prime Minister-cum-Cabinet Hari Raya Open House as if they are common criminals and end their ridiculous investigations to concentrate on reducing crime.
Umno leaders and others are entitled to their view whether the peaceful and orderly presence of the two groups at the PWTC Hari Raya Open House should take the opportunity plead their cause for the release of the Hindraf Five and Raja Petra Kamaruddin, and they have done so – in many cases, gone to extremes in inciting racial and religious hatred – but it is completely unwarranted for the police to be dragooned into the intimidation process to create a culture of fear.
It is also utterly baseless for the Prime-Minister-in-waiting, Datuk Seri Najib Razak to go overboard in his remarks in Kuala Terengganu yesterday in suggesting that both groups were guilty of “unruly and indecent behaviour” which could even “undermine the country’s unity and security”.
It is such making a mountain out of a molehill which characterizes a tendency to abuse powers – which becomes very dangerous to the people and country if such a person is vested with huge powers as in the case of a Prime Minister-in-waiting.
#1 by kyototan on Saturday, 11 October 2008 - 7:39 am
By looking at this make me think, are lion dancer who are all in the same uniform when performing and also with the drum and gongs beating during CNY private open house will be consider illegal gathering very soon.
#2 by izrafeil on Saturday, 11 October 2008 - 7:47 am
you know what Uncle Lim, Karma! What Ameno did was to plant the evil seed, with the passage of time, the seed will grow and grow and grow and will one day explode and eliminate Ameno as we know it….
#3 by harryengland on Saturday, 11 October 2008 - 10:08 am
Five Malaysian Prime Ministers screwed the Malays in UMNO by barring them the type of education that a lot of the non-Malays had access to due to the Nationalistic emotions these PMs had for country and race. Barring Tungku Abdul Rahman the PMs that followed saw the intelligence of the Chinese and Indians as a threat to their political domination. It was easy for these cheap-educated PMs to de-educate the Malay masses and be able to brainwash them. They made these easy-peasy, soft touch Malays follow them into their little kingdoms.
But, behold, there were a few clever Malays who managed to ease themselves out of this ‘managed’ kingdom to give their children a better education that was more ‘objective’ than ‘subjective’. Thereupon were born people like Annuar Ibrahim, RPK, Ahmedneil and so many others in the spectrum of Malay society. Still these are only a minority due mainly to the suppresion to exposure to proper education. Malays, if given the democratic opportunities of exposure to proper education, could be as good as if not better than their non-Malays compatriots.
In my childhood I had a few Malay friends (1950s) and we could talk about almost anything, like brothers. The non-Malays have a lot to learn about the good manners and diplomacy of the Malays (not the extermest Malays in UMNO). The Malays in UMNO depict a picture of Malays as a rude and evil race. The real Malay who is not influnced by UMNO is just the opposite. They are a good race worthy of respect and mutual-respect.
The others in this world are no different. If you see a a group of Chinese or Indians across a table they may seem a unruly and disrespestful group of people. Get to know them, introduce yourself to them and they are so respectful and friendly. The next time you see them they wish you before you them.
But let us not judge which is or is not a a good race becos when someday you fall down you don’t know who is going to pick you up. He may just be someone of a race you never liked!
I love people and I love Malaysia except……….no,no,no not except those from UMNO. They may just be the ones who pick me up when I fall down. But I hope that the Malays in UMNO will give their chidren a better open education.
Best Regards from England !!
#4 by madmix on Saturday, 11 October 2008 - 10:39 am
It goes to show how stupid the government PR machinery is. If they had kept quiet about the matter, that would be the end of the matter. The harass and the matter is highlighted brought to the attention of the public for a long period of time.
#5 by Loh on Saturday, 11 October 2008 - 11:43 am
///just the main objective of making their protests and delivering mesage of their plea for the release of all ISA detainees directly to ministers hosts in front of their guests ///–Jeffrey
If that is the only way that they can do it, and it comes only once a year, why not. I suppose when you deal with arrogant people, it might be natural to match their behaviour, and difficult to be polite.
#6 by hvpl on Saturday, 11 October 2008 - 1:00 pm
Gopal Raj Kumar says:-
“For starters, it was not an appropriaate moment or a place in which to carry out an embarassment”.
Is being stopped from going to Parliament House an appropriate moment & place? Pray tell, WHEN is it appropriate?
“Raja Petra Kamaruddin, apart from his very poor command and structure of any language he choses to express himself in, has found himself in the hot water he belongs in not for no good reason”. “At a personal level I do not see any political or other value in any of the posts he has made to date ….”
You seem to think you have a better command of English? RPK speaks from the heart. How better to endear with Malaysians? His eyeball rate is enough to convince anyone that people do find value in his posts. Even the MSM acknowledged that his writings had a huge impact on the recent GE results. You may ignore him but even the Government do not. That says a great deal about you.
“Many of his allegations are made without substance. It is for the best part mere conjecture which he relies on to provoke and sensationalise the lives of others”.
Then, why is the Government unable to disprove them in a Court of Law? Rather, they chose to lock him up incommunicado. That says a lot of his writings.
“You are probably as old as myself and would probably remember the May 13 incident, …”
I am as old as yourself and remember the road to destruction when we allowed them to prevail with their racial amok run. Never again will Malaysians allow them to prevail with this racism.
“To now resort to the mundane worthless acts of gate crashing to make a point”.
When is attending an “OPEN” house considered gate crashing? Every citizen of any political persuasion are invited to attend, are they not? So, the members of HINDRAF and anti-ISA are also citizens of this country and have every right to attend. It was the security handlers, who do not understand what “Open House” means.
I look forward to your response, Mr. Gopal.
#7 by Kasim Amat on Saturday, 11 October 2008 - 1:08 pm
The government has the responsibility to prevent social instability and Hindraf is the root of the social instability. As long as UMNO is in charge, we will make sure that everyone follow the social order and ISA is necessary to use against anyone who disrespect this order.
#8 by bennylohstocks on Saturday, 11 October 2008 - 7:31 pm
GIVE THE LEADERS THE RESPECT
#9 by lofuji on Saturday, 11 October 2008 - 10:55 pm
YB LKS,
During this period of uncertainty(read:global crisis) PR elected MP’s should bring up in Parliament the issue of reduction in petrol price.When crude oil went up to US135 gomen quickly up pump price by 78sen. Now crude is down to US78 why dont the gomen reduce accordingly i.e.to RM1.92 Since AAB is not contesting the Presidency and says that he will carry out Reforms in his final days, the least he could do is make he rakyat happy by reducing the price.Forget about what his own people will say(UMNO i.e.)
After all,they are the ones who forced him down,not the opposition.
He needs to elevate the people’s suffering.Just take a look at the figures:inflation at 8.5% How can one not suffer?
#10 by isahbiazhar on Sunday, 12 October 2008 - 5:12 am
Arrogance was the main reason for defeat.Now they want to repeat over such trivial matters.The police and the authorities should start thinking of real job of making peace with the people and doing what the people want:security.Are we dividing the people?
#11 by counsel888 on Sunday, 12 October 2008 - 6:14 pm
Response to HVPL
1. I am amused by your response. “is being stopped from going to parliament house an appropriate moment & place?” What on earth does this mean and whats its relevance to what I have posted here? Whats parliament and being stopped from going to parliament got to do with this argument? Perhaps your mate Raja Petra Kamaruddin in whom you have so much faith can assist you in deciphering your cryptic language and perhaps you will be so kind as to provide me with the outcome.
2. I don’t “seem to think” I have a better command of the English language than raja Petra Kamaruddin, judging from his very public displays of his crude and infantile writings, I know I do have a better command o the language than he ever will in his lifetime. Arrogant, perhaps so. False modesty I don’t suffer ffrom.
3. Whatever his eyeball rate is it makes no difference to anyone with half a brain. pronography and gambling two of the wolrd’s greatest vices also enjoy much eyeballing and hits over the internet. That does not necessarily make them a virtue. Grow up.
The MSM could well have stated what you claim they ddid. If thats the case they have faileed to say what impact it had on the GE results. As far as my reading of the GE results is concerned I would prefer to concur with the major international polsters and observers that the Hindraf situation managed to split the balance of power into the hands of Indian voters delivering at least 67 seats to an opposition. In the end though the BN wond the day.
There is another way of reading the results. The large numbers of people who read and subscribe to the blogs and writings of Raja Petra Kamaruddin are perhaps also a reflection of the lower standards of education in Malaysia for which you could blame the BN. Anyone who subscribes to an idiot like must be one like him.
4. Raja Petra Kamaruddin is not party to any of the matters in which he challenges the government with scurrilous accusations on his blogs to demand an answer or response. Thats for a properly constituted court to determine on the evidence before it. They do it on the basis of rules and laws and procedures by which they are bound. So whats your question?
5. What meant by their racial run Amok ? who are “they?” are you making a racial statement orr are you generalising?
6. Open house on an occassion like Hari Raya is not for an open protest. You are like the Hindraf vandals taking the meaning too far. If you believe being disrespectful is freedom then why complain about handlers expressing their freedoms in a way their targets like the Hindraf vandals did not like?
Ther eis a time and place for everything. Negotiations require cool heads and not idiotic meaningless demonstrations where you set potential supporters and sympathisers against you. Bad manners, poor leadership and a bad result at the end of the day. But then again they could be appelaing to people like you. Thats what saddens most observers is that there are people like you who believe that by trivialising a situation you win points.
#12 by lopez on Sunday, 12 October 2008 - 10:36 pm
they dont have enough white matter and cant even solve a car thelf nor a house break or a rape case without any hhoo hooo haah hah
how can they solve anything at all excpet use buully tactics
look at their bellys and their toys
#13 by Dr_Albert_Schweitzer on Tuesday, 14 October 2008 - 10:58 am
God even can’t help them because they are people not only with low intelligence but NO INTELLIGENCE.
They are led by Ministers and leaders born without brains.
It is in their DNA!
#14 by counsel888 on Tuesday, 14 October 2008 - 4:01 pm
I would not go that far Albert Schweitzer. You require brains to get then nation to pay attention to your plight. You cannnot achieve anything by pretending to be a famous German scientist. Thats brainless you turd!!
Hinddraf have no leadersip in place and use crude methods to only get them disliked and lose any supporters they otherwise may have had.
However it is the government that lost control in the situation. Instead of cashing in on that failure by government they have squanderd their opportunities by behaving like real coolies.