The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, had condemned from Namibia the fracas that occurred during nomination day for the Ijok by-election as “a stupid thing”, saying that “Such a thing should not have happened”.
Abdullah said he was referring to both parties, meaning Barisan Nasional and Parti Keadilan Rakyat, when referring to the incident where BN and PKR supporters hurled stones, sticks and bottles at each other, forcing police to intervene.
I fully agree. To stamp out such unseemly incidents, leaders must set a good example to stop their members and election workers from getting out of control.
Leaders of both parties are blaming the supporters from the other camp of starting the fracas on nomination day.
However, there can be no doubt whatsoever as to who was responsible for the ugly incident at Batu 8, Ijok at 2.40 pm yesterday, where some 20 people, including some in Pemuda BN uniform, roughed up PKR candidate Khalid Ibrahim and two freelance photographers — one of whom is well-known blogger Jeff Ooi, injuring the other photographer. A police report had been lodged.
Abdullah is now back in the country. Is he prepared to condemn the ugly assault yesterday where Pemuda BN youths roughed up the PKR candidate and injured a free-lance photographer, discipline the culprits and issue clear instructions to end the Mat Rempit culture of lawlessness in the BN campaign in Ijok?
Jeff Ooi has given an eye-witness and firsthand-victim account on his blog where he recounted:
Our casual attire for comfortable photographing also ensured that we are not to be wrongly mistaken as KeADILan’s cadre. We were there merely as men-at-work, photographers on assignment.
We were wrong. We were surrounded by over 20 rowdies, and the long and short of it, my colleague, who wound down his window to inch carefully his way out from the besieging scene, was smashed AT CLOSE RANGE with the sharp portion of the mineral water bottle (picture above).
He tried to evade but still broke his glasses, bleeding. Without the glasses, he drove the both of us out of the danger zone until some KeADILan members escorted us in another vehicle to safe ground in Ijok town centre. (Thanks Cikgu Li.)
We kept our cool and tried hard to avert any eventualities as we didn’t want this incident to be spun as an ugly chapter of over 20 Malay youths attacking two Chinese photographers in Malaysia.
Nevertheless, the unasked question must get answered some days when the fanatical election fever is over.
Abdullah must prove that he means what he says and come out strongly to condemn the ugly incident yesterday, taking action not only against the culprits but also holding their leaders responsible for such lawlessness.
Deputy Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak as the Director of Operations of the Barisan Nasional Ijok by-election campaign should unreservedly apologise for yesterday’s incident to Khalid, Jeff and the injured freelance photographer.
#1 by smeagroo on Sunday, 22 April 2007 - 3:00 pm
I fear for lives of prominent ppl there in Ijok. Rempits are pawns ready to be sacrificed by the generals in any battle. They will do untold things with a mere promise of simple luxury and fun. If they can hurt you and the police cant do anything bcos they represent the BN, then they will get away with anything apart from simple push and shove incident later. When thigns get out of hand you expect the police to protect the BN scums or the opposition? Let not even talk about the rakyat who will just happened to be caught in the middle of the fracas.
#2 by Cinapek on Sunday, 22 April 2007 - 3:04 pm
The first clear evidence of the how the Mat Rempits will be put to use in future elections. It is becoming clear why certain parties has been cultivating them, praising them and sending them on hair brained trips overseas. Those brainless baboons are being manipulated to sow fear and intimidate the Opposition and later, the general populace. Someone who has studied political science at Oxford surely has read about the Hitler Youths and Mao’s Red Guards and how these young impressionable minds had been manipulated to do the dirty work of their “benefactors”. Successful models to copy from.
#3 by dawsheng on Sunday, 22 April 2007 - 3:42 pm
Abdullah don’t have the power to control aynthing in the country. Abdullah can only talks about things that we are sure he’s dreaming. He hasn’t wake up, but everytime he did, he realize things has gone worst, but then he go back to sleep again.
He can’t do anyhing about it since rempits are hopeless and creating so much social ills, but better put them in use since the govt still feeding them, so he let Khairy do the job, and this is how he thinks it should be.
Khairy Jamaludin is the kind of Malay who is not hesitate to sacrifice racial harmony in Malaysia to achieve his goal in politic. Khairy Jamuludin is a racist, and so is BN. However, to compare rempits with NAZI and Red Guard I think is very overrated, rempits are so low class, and so is UMNO youth. They not only failed in many international ranking, even doing bad things, they are such a flop.
Two small by-election and we have this kind of comotion. This is a tell tale sign of greater conflict, racial conflict in Malaysia. It better stop right now before it get out of hand, but Abdullah is sleeping while Khairy run wild, and don’t expect UMNO to do anything because everyone is busy with matters of power and throne within the party. We are heading into it, it is happening again. Better watch out.
#4 by zzzzzzzzzzz on Sunday, 22 April 2007 - 6:18 pm
I would call them the supporting actors. A film is not that exciting without extras thrown in, sometimes meaningless ones too. They are there to make up the crowd, so to speak. It also shows that somebodies have shaking knees.
#5 by 4th_wife on Sunday, 22 April 2007 - 6:43 pm
To stop Mat Rempit does the PM care to discipline Mat Keris first?
#6 by bennylohstocks on Sunday, 22 April 2007 - 7:26 pm
Da man is back and busy here…
http://malaysiancartoons.blogspot.com/2007/04/ijok-preparing-sam.html
#7 by Asiana888 on Sunday, 22 April 2007 - 8:36 pm
Since all UMNO divisions already got RM 3 millions they don’t want to get their hands dirty. They now can out-source their diry tactics to Mat Rempits for only RM 50 per head to intimidate the Opposition. Also with police immunity, these Mat Rempits will be having a field day in Ijok!
What a shameful day for Malaysian politics?!
#8 by RealWorld on Sunday, 22 April 2007 - 9:05 pm
How la Vision 2020 with these kind of maturity?
#9 by DarkHorse on Sunday, 22 April 2007 - 10:05 pm
“Two small by-election and we have this kind of comotion. This is a tell tale sign of greater conflict, racial conflict in Malaysia.”
This is obviously the kind of ‘over reaction’ they would want you to show – and you’re showing it right there!
#10 by DarkHorse on Sunday, 22 April 2007 - 10:17 pm
“..where the MIC is fielding K. Parthiban, echoed the Lunas by-election in 2000 where Barisan’s S. Anthonysamy, also of the MIC, had lost to a Parti Keadilan Rakyat candidate.
Najib said the Barisan was using a strategy ..” as reported STAR
First, I don’t understand remarks that BN is playing communal politics and that DAP/PKR is not. Does it not appear that by fielding a non-Malay in a predominantly Malay constituency suggests the opposite??
The DAP/PKR coalition on the other hand appears to acknowledge that communal politics will continue to remain the feature of Malaysian politics – by fielding a Malay candidate in a Malay dominated constituency.
Having said that by fielding an Indian candidate does not mean it is not playing the politics of communalism. It is just a strategy and is followed by BN to balance the composition of their own members in the SLA (and Parliament).
#11 by kurakura on Sunday, 22 April 2007 - 10:37 pm
Cant really blame the assailants..they are the product of Malaysia’s inadequate education system and also constantly under the influence of ‘aggresive’ propaganda by UMNO eg keris incident.
UMNO pple also mentioned that force and violence should not be hesitated to destroy their ‘enemies’.
#12 by k1980 on Sunday, 22 April 2007 - 10:46 pm
Parthiban is just an impotent umno puppet in ijok– just like the puppet Manchukuo “emperor” Pu Yi installed by the japanese to fool the world that Manchukuo was an independent country not controlled by tokyo.
#13 by ihavesomethingtosay on Sunday, 22 April 2007 - 11:48 pm
“The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, had condemned from Namibia……”
oh, so confident ahhh?……. on holiday again ah? using the new A319 ah?
Mat rempit? got keris and C4, way advance for Mat ampit lah!
#14 by smeagroo on Sunday, 22 April 2007 - 11:57 pm
PM said stop the fracas but does that mean he will give his SIL a tongue lashing soon or a one tight slap in the butty? Neither. ALl Pak Lah did was just talk and so can I.
SOunds similar to a parent who has no control over his kids who run amok at a friend’s place but to merely shout from afar, “stop it or else I will gv u one tight slap” but that is only all talk la.
Dont even buy into Pak lah’s mere talk. I am thru with his talk and promises.
#15 by Godamn Singh on Monday, 23 April 2007 - 12:33 am
Goddamn it!
What’s the big fuss??? BN is gonna win this one. The odds are stacked against DAP/PKR.
Don’t get me wrong. I am all for DAP/PKR.
Like one poster said earlier, the answer is in the demographics of this rural constituency. DAP/PKR stand their best chance in the urban areas where you find a wide middle class, two income families with children of post-SPM or university going age.
#16 by dawsheng on Monday, 23 April 2007 - 1:12 am
I am rather pessimist. Not because the opposition will lost or BN continue to win. I think politic in Malaysia has gone the mafia way, it is obvious, and the Prime Minister is the prime suspect> He is the one who didn’t say anything about it, so he approved it. He allow this kind of action, he supports it! He says is ok you go around beating people up, especially during election, because that’s your job. Probably?
#17 by dawsheng on Monday, 23 April 2007 - 1:47 am
I think is very serious, this is not yet general election. But people can be so fanatic now, when tension is high, anything can happen. Look at what kind of leaders Malaysia have? Khairy Jamaludin for example. How about Hishamudin and his famous keris? I tell you Abdullah has no control over the country, or else such thing won’t happen during election.
#18 by Rocky on Monday, 23 April 2007 - 2:35 am
Please don’t disturb our PM who is napping. You guys asking him to do all this work, too much lah!! talk to KJ please. and who is else better than KJ to talk to the Mat Rempits.
#19 by bennylohstocks on Monday, 23 April 2007 - 3:21 am
Da man is back and giving advice…
http://malaysiancartoons.blogspot.com/2007/04/ijok-willing-to-change-sam.html
#20 by Godamn Singh on Monday, 23 April 2007 - 3:59 am
“Such an approach will not guarantee victory in elections,†he said, adding that personal attacks should also have been avoided. ” Abdullah Badawi
Thank you, sir. For letting us know. We thought such tactics could win election.
#21 by sotong on Monday, 23 April 2007 - 7:48 am
This what happened when leaders/politicians do not publicly express their strong outrage of this criminal behaviours and the full force of the law is not used to tackle public nuisance.
This is no surprise when leaders/politicians set example by using intimidation, aggression, bullying and other unacceptable social behaviours to achieve their aims.
#22 by Sintiansai on Monday, 23 April 2007 - 9:04 am
Attention everyone
I notice that most old folks and veterans do not care about other parties except BN, because BN had always been governing their country and worst of all they do not update or expose themselves like us seeing the reality from the internet especially from Mr. Lim’s blogs. They can only see the “good things” from… you know?.. newspapers… ~~puooit..
When I asked few of them how do they think of PKR and DAP, they replied that PKR and DAP are no better than PAS as they are racist..
racist? BN? RAKCICIST larrr..
no matter how hard I try to prove them wrong, it is a total waste of time as they are still voting for BN for no reasonable reasons at all.
How, Why, and What else can we do the expose BN’s menace!?
#23 by DiaperHead on Monday, 23 April 2007 - 10:11 am
The Malaysian voter who is likely to vote for the Opposition is in his or her late 20s and early 40s, middle class and has a college or university education and lives in the country’s major towns and has access to the internet.
How does this weigh in with the residents of Ijok?
#24 by Loh on Monday, 23 April 2007 - 10:44 am
///Abdullah must prove that he means what he says and come out strongly to condemn the ugly incident yesterday, taking action not only against the culprits but also holding their leaders responsible for such lawlessness.///
He will not. Firstly, Mat Rempits are the ‘bodyguards’ of his SIL. He cannot control his SIL. Secondly, nobody in UMNO listens to him. So, from faraway land he can condemn and when necessary say that he was misquoted. In bolehland he will continue with his elegant silence. He knows that there are people ever ready to challenge his order, especially when TDM has announced that he was to be a one-term PM.
TDM said that he appointed Najib as deputy and it would not be fair to Najib if Abdullah stays for more than one term. So, the position of PM is for the incumbents to enjoy, and to TDM’s mind it is for the three of them to share, and he had 22 years. If the PM position is to be enjoyed, I think the royalties have more right than the commoners, and it was most unsuitable for a person who was not even a pure Malay.
#25 by Ray on Monday, 23 April 2007 - 11:07 am
Too Unfortunated >Tuhan Fated Putras/puteri..of Umno
Why its So ??How la Vision 2020 with these kind of maturity..and No Way to go forward( lack of Capable,Honest and Integrity Politicians ) .
Rakyats Guessed Right>>The One And Only Good value Is Umno CanDo>>” Drive Malaysia Backwards with NEP specials discounts ,previledges etc….”
…..WHY NOT LA??? .. (deleted) Unlawful-Policies /Doctrinations…hence Induces Decietful Politics System of Rasuah ,Unjustice ,Prejudices, Intolerance,Ignorance and Hypocrisy……Destructive Politics >>; Hi still some Luckysome educated with proper ethics values are not slavery to these Sinful inhuman natures ….. going thro Mederka histories’ with their ‘Life Experience Lessons Learned..
#26 by sotong on Monday, 23 April 2007 - 2:59 pm
Desperate people do desperate things.
#27 by burn on Monday, 23 April 2007 - 3:07 pm
“BN UMNO say, we do not care which race we choose for IJOK candidate. we are ONE.”
do tell IJOK malaysians, do you get any discount when buying a property! “BN UMNO say, we are ONE.” but why other malaysians have to buy at a higher price. aren’t we malaysian too. so, what have MCA and MIC achieve for others since merdeka… except, maybe, educations!
aku punya falsampah!
#28 by undergrad2 on Monday, 23 April 2007 - 7:06 pm
“I think the royalties have more right than the commoners, and it was most unsuitable for a person who was not even a pure Malay.”
But then who is a Malay?
The first PM was half-Thai. The second was half-Bugis (read: Indonesian), the third shared his ancestry with Ataturk and the fourth somebody who could read Tamil if UMNO minutes were written in that language tomorrow. And the fifth is of Chinese descent.
They are ‘Malays’ only as far as Article 160(2) of our Constitution of 1957 allows them to be.
A pure Malay? That is a legal fiction.
#29 by undergrad2 on Monday, 23 April 2007 - 9:36 pm
The ‘fracus’ referred by Loh is nothing but a fracas and is a matter of law and order. Do not politicize the issue.
#30 by undergrad2 on Monday, 23 April 2007 - 9:37 pm
fracas sorry
#31 by democrate on Monday, 23 April 2007 - 10:52 pm
Hi Toyo, Selangor, an advance state as claim but give birth to so many hooligans , wild and low mentality people. Why, cos the MB is also one of them with the supports of those RM 50 per head Mat Rempit. To achieve wawasan 2020. ? i think sudah lah just wait for another 100 years ok?
#32 by accountability on Monday, 23 April 2007 - 10:56 pm
i’m seeing disturbing parallels when comparing our election and govt against those that just concluded in nigeria…
an incompentent (BN) govt is desperately trying to hold on to power by swelling their ranks (ie. increasing their party size) through recruiting thugs and gangsters…
machap, ijok, puchong (just to name a few)… yet, nobody was disciplined or charged
#33 by DarkHorse on Monday, 23 April 2007 - 11:11 pm
“machap, ijok, puchong (just to name a few)… yet, nobody was disciplined or charged”
Why disciplined? They should be charged for ‘disturbing the peace’ if not ‘assault and battery’.
Shall we discipline the IGP?
#34 by bennylohstocks on Tuesday, 24 April 2007 - 8:58 pm
Da man knows..
http://malaysiancartoons.blogspot.com/2007/04/ijok-no-violence-please.html
#35 by hann.gan on Sunday, 12 August 2007 - 11:12 pm
I would like to relate an incident which happened to me regarding these mat rempits. 2 weeks ago, I was driving down Jalan Sultan Ismail (KL), when a white Satria cut into my lane and I ended up clipping him from behind. The accident was very minor and we both pulled over to settle. Less than a minute later, mat rempits had arrived from behind me and surrounded my vehicle. They robbed me of my money, watch, phone and sunglasses, then beat me with helmets when I refused to hand over my credit cards! I believe that they were simply looking for an excuse to beat on a lone Chinese guy. Fortunately I was able to escape and run to Sheraton Imperial Hotel, where security kept them out and called the cops. By then my head was bleeding and I was bruised all over.
When the police arrived and I related my incident, they were honest with me; there was no point in making a report as nothing would come of it. I made a report anyway. The police were right. Even though I had managed to spot the licence no of one of the bikes, it turned out to be a fake plate. An “investigation†is underway to determine if the Satria was involved in the robbery, but I’m not getting my hopes up.
After reading many blogsites on the mat rempit problem, it seems to me that my story is not an uncommon one. None of us victims ever receive justice, and that the mat rempits usually get away scot-free, ready to commit more assaults, robberies or rapes.
The question I want to ask is, why is it that our society cannot effectively punish and control these criminals? I have heard excuses such as:
“our police force is too undermanned to catch the mat rempits, who far outnumber cops and are unafraid of themâ€Â;
“even if the police catch these mat rempits, there is no effective (legal) way of punishing them, since they do not fear jailâ€Â;
“UMNO Youth (Khairy Jamaluddin) is protecting them and using them as political leverageâ€Â.
And so on. I’m not sure how many of these excuses are valid. There have been calls to beef up out police force, or to destroy any motorbikes found to have been used in a crime. What I do know, is that not enough is being done to keep our society safe. This problem first surfaced in the late ‘90s, and it seems to have gotten worse. If the mat rempits know that the police are afraid of them, and the government is protecting them, can u blame them for getting bolder and bolder??
Like all those who hate these mat rempits, there is nothing I would love more than to run them over in my vehicle. However, is this really the best way to fight them? Would it deter them from committing crime, or make them more violent? Does anyone have a feasible long-term suggestion for eradicating these people from our streets? How do we make this problem a priority for our government? What kind of punishment can we impose and enforce which will deter these criminals?
I will be posting this blog on several sites, and will also write in to several newspapers calling for feasible suggestions to this problem. I am ashamed to admit that before this happened to me, I merely read the stories, and while resenting the mat rempits for what they did, I did not feel a need to take any action myself. I hope that all of you who have not yet become a victim do not make the same mistake. Imagine how bad this problem could get if left unchecked. How far will you let it go before you decide to take action yourself? When you yourself have been robbed and beaten? When your wife or daughter has been raped and murdered?
I hope that all of you who have taken the time to read my post, take more time to consider the situation and respond to it. If all of us band together and take action, maybe we will be able to wipe these criminals from our streets.