Interlok Arrests: Najib Should Walk the Talk

A protester was pushed down, his face rubbed against the road, kicked and then arrested.

I am not writing about what happened in Libya. This scene took place in Kuala Lumpur, a couple of minutes away from KLCC, Malaysia’s symbol of growth and prosperity.

Ahead of time, the police had locked-down Kuala Lumpur to prevent members of Human Rights Party  and supporters from gathering to stage a protest, calling for the ban of Interlok.

Friends who were on location around the KLCC said that the police verbally abused the protesters including media workers.

Indians sighted around the Shangri-La Hotel and KLCC area were stopped, interrogated and even had their identity cards scrutinized.

Journalists were asked to show their media passes and shouted at for filming the violent arrests.

A few days back Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak slammed Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi for unleashing violence on his people who were opposed to his rule.

“We believe he should not use violence. What is important for us is to take into account the aspirations of people…The system should be legitimate, it has to be based on support of people” –

These are Najib’s words.

His deputy, Muhyiddin Yassin, called on Gaddafi to allow the people to demonstrate peacefully.

Therefore, what happened on the streets of Kuala Lumpur today clearly shows that the UMNO-led Barisan Nasional government practices double standards.

Interlok contains racial slurs against the Indians.

It is a slap on the face of Malaysian Indians and clearly a play of racial politics, crafted to please the ultra-Malays.

It’s me or chaos – this the mantra of Gaddafi. Toe the government line or face abuse is the slogan of Barisan Nasional and particularly UMNO leaders.

And if Ghaddafi says that the Al-Qaeda instigated his people to take to the streets, UMNO says that issues raised against Interlok were carved out by the opposition.

This is a joke.

In Northern Africa and the Middle-East, we are seeing an uprising as people stand up to re-claim their rights.

Here, Malaysian Indians are fighting to retain their dignity against a piece of literature which is derogatory. And if UMNO cares about democracy, the leaders would allow for legitimate dissent instead of trying to keep a lid on it.

As I write this, the whereabouts of the 109 protestors who have been arrested are unknown.

This further caricatures the abuse of power by the police force. And bins Najib’s 1Malaysia policy which zeroes in on national integration through racial unity.

Opposition politicians and non-governmental organizations have repeated calls for the setting-up of an Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC).

The recent high-handed behaviour of the police at peaceful protests signals the crucial need for an independent body to act as a check and balance on the force.

I, therefore, call on the government to immediately set-up the IPCMC and release all those detained at the protest.

Charles Santiago

Member of Parliament, Klang.