– Lionel Morais
Managing Editor
The Malaysian Insider
Jun 21, 2013
Federal Internal Security and Public Order director Datuk Saleh Mat Rasid hit a raw nerve yesterday when he said that the army will help the police, if necessary, at the Black 505 rally tomorrow.
He was roundly criticised and rightly so.
Use the army against unarmed Malaysians at a rally? Unbelievable!
These are just people fighting for what they believe is right. They are not the Sulu terrorists and this is not Ops Daulat II.
So what exactly is it that anybody thinks the police cannot handle?
There have been about a dozen protest rallies since the May 5 polls and not one turned violent or chaotic.
Why? One reason is that the police allowed the protestors time and space to do their thing.
But it also says something about the true nature of us Malaysians. We are not a violent or mean nation.
Members of the public are no longer perturbed about these rallies.
They know tomorrow’s will end peacefully if the police restrict their duties to traffic control and ensure smooth passage into Padang Merbok.
There is already a track record on this. Look at what happened at the Kelana Jaya stadium on May 8.
More than 100,000 protestors turned up and the only problem reported was traffic congestion.
It was the same at the other rallies across the country.
So, if the protestors are willing to brave the haze and heat tomorrow to voice their grievances in a peaceful manner, why the need for the authorities to talk so tough?
There is no need to turn this into some acid test for the new IGP or undermine public confidence in the police further by talking army. Let’s keep the peace.
#1 by ENDANGERED HORNBILL on Friday, 21 June 2013 - 9:42 am
Wah, this Mat Saleh wants to bring in big guns, big bombers and big soldiers, man – to frighten peace-loving, law-abiding, smiling and singing Malaysians.
Wah, this Mat Saleh fella hoping to be promoted to be a big gun or what.
Maybe he is just a big buffoon who is ahead of his time.
#2 by worldpress on Friday, 21 June 2013 - 9:56 am
Let the thousand mobile camera work for you
#3 by bryanbb on Friday, 21 June 2013 - 10:03 am
The ball is now in PM Najib’s court . Should he crack down on the rally as he did with Bersih 3.0 , listening to his advisors. Which completely stunk up his attempts to be seen as a moderate , or should he let things slide and regain some of the lost credibilty of the reconciliation he had inferred.. But problem may be the unpredictability of what course of events the rallies may take…Stuck between a used diaper and a sanitary napkin,either side will still reek of wasteful discharge.
But threatening the people to bring the army in ,thats sounds like a whimpering panicking dog with it’s tail between it’s legs, forced into a corner ,and growling in a desperate manner , terrified of what may transpire.It’s not like armed Banglas are going to invade Padang Merbok. What is the threat to national security? Is he saying that the PDRM are not competent to control or manage the situation , therefore he doesn’t trust the institution? What will the army do, shoot fellow citizens in cold blood or bludgeon Malaysians with their rifle barrels just because they are protesting the fraud perpetuated on them. The people have a bone to pick with the EC not an agenda of toppling the goverment. Scare tactics like theses only serves to get people more indignant of the constant intimidation attemted. Wonder if he is familiar with reverse psychology?
#4 by Di Shi Jiu on Friday, 21 June 2013 - 10:31 am
Lionel Morais,
Very nice words from you in support of the Rakyat.
I would counsel you to be very careful with your views as the owners of The Malaysian Insider may not be too happy with you supporting the Opposition :) But then you are criticising UMNO-aligned institutions :)
I have reason to believe that The Malaysian Insider is simply a cleverly disguised BN mouthpiece. My other guess is that TMI is an MCA-aligned publication based on what I have read of your financial backers.
But then, I could be all wrong and if so, I do apologise unreservedly in which case, I will look forward to TMI publishing my criticisms of the current MCA leadership :)
#5 by worldpress on Friday, 21 June 2013 - 12:14 pm
They do not love MALAYSIANS reason why
CRIMINAL everywhere threaten our daily life
#6 by bennylohstocks on Friday, 21 June 2013 - 1:05 pm
BADRUL IS PUTTING UP FOR 2 NIGHTS
#7 by quigonbond on Friday, 21 June 2013 - 1:17 pm
They’re probably afraid that this will actually turn out to be a Tahriq Square because some politician is reported to have said that people won’t leave the rally until the EC has stepped down.
But that’s clearly an overkill. You don’t have to announce your intention to bring the army to disperse the crowd. Unless, the intention is to forewarn Malaysians that they will be shot if they proceeded? What kind of barbaric and uncivilised government is it that implicitly threatens fatal violence over what has been established by precedent to be a peaceful rally?
#8 by Sallang on Friday, 21 June 2013 - 1:34 pm
“Federal Internal Security and Public Order director Datuk Saleh Mat Rasid hit a raw nerve yesterday when he said that the army will help the police, if necessary, at the Black 505 rally tomorrow.”
Good. Make sure they bring out the army, so that the pictures that will go viral will tell the world how democratic is Malaysia.
It only confirms that, the security forces are on BN’s side.
Had the security forces been Independent, like what we see in Thailand, the arm forces can help to put the rightful political party as government.
#9 by buylower2003 on Friday, 21 June 2013 - 2:29 pm
The shithead thinks he may be more popular locally & internationally if he threatens to do a Tiananmen Square. Or maybe he plans to run away & hide in China after his minority dictatorship crashes & falls? So much for sending your son to China & showing off his “Chinese speaking abilities” all over national TV. Carry on shithead!
#10 by omeqiu on Friday, 21 June 2013 - 2:32 pm
Can we have a live telecast? I paid for
Astro you know!
#11 by Bigjoe on Friday, 21 June 2013 - 3:01 pm
This guy is with the PDRM and he wants to bring him the army in the picture? Since he has admitted he can’t do his job, why is he given the job in the first place?
#12 by tuahpekkong on Friday, 21 June 2013 - 6:32 pm
Oh gosh, bringing in the army to help the police to control the crowd in a peaceful rally? Does Salleh Mat know about the duties of the army? Are we trying to send a message to the world community that our country no longer peaceful? The duties of the army should not be hijacked. In the extremely unlikely event that the crowd gets unruly, we still have the red bean army, oh sorry, I mean the “red head army” to deal with the problem.
#13 by omeqiu on Friday, 21 June 2013 - 9:28 pm
The army has better things to do!
#14 by Noble House on Saturday, 22 June 2013 - 1:18 am
Sometimes, I wonder what exactly that is our policemen do when they report for duties everyday? Can anyone get more ridiculous than this?
#15 by lee tai king (previously dagen) on Saturday, 22 June 2013 - 10:20 am
First umno used the air force to bomb our own territory (somewhere in sabah). Now umno wants to use the army against our own people. Worse, umno being of minority support wants to go against the majority rakyat.
People want actually want to wait for the next GE but given umno’s refusal to behave and act responsibly the people may just lose their patience and not wait for the next GE.