'A tale of two protests' - Malaysiakini

A little over a week ago, on Saturday, April 24, 2010, a group of concerned Malaysians living in London came together outside the Malaysian Tourism Office in Trafalgar Square to protest peacefully against Malaysia's Internal Security Act (ISA) and the rampant social injustices being perpetuated by the current ruling regime.

This marked the beginning of a series of monthly demonstrations planned to remind the Malaysian government and the international community of Malaysia's appalling human rights record, and the need for Malaysia to take its human rights obligations and responsibilities seriously.

This gathering arose out of a new sense of urgency and purpose as Malaysia appears to be approaching a tipping point. The deaths and abuse in police custody, cover-ups, brazen corruption and impunity with which the ISA is used to detain and silence anyone who challenges the status quo have awoken the rakyat to the fact that at some point we have to say enough is enough.

Many of Malaysia's overseas diaspora continue to share a concern and passion for Malaysian affairs, despite living thousands of miles away. For many of us, the desire to return home someday is a common thread, yet many of us know that we would find many things about the way Malaysian society and government is currently run difficult to swallow.

Abroad, we take many basic civil liberties and human rights for granted. Twelve thousand miles away we are free to think what we want to think, free to say what we want to say (by and large), free to move, meet and associate, free to be whoever we want to be.

Twelve thousand miles away, in the main, we are protected from arbitrary arrest and detention, protected against torture, cruel, humiliating or degrading punishment, and have the right to recourse in an open and independent court of law in case of any alleged wrongdoing. We are the lucky ones.

Twelve thousand miles the other way, 28 million other fellow Malaysian often appear to have no such rights, or so the state will tell them.

One thing that amused the UK chapter of the Abolish ISA Movement in the lead up to the picket was the stark contrast in the way public demonstrations are handled in the UK compared to Malaysia. The way the Malaysian police handled the May day anti-GST protest in KL yesterday and the handling of the 40,000 strong anti-ISA demonstration in August 2009 are further worrying illustrations.

Two weeks before the picket, we rang the London Metropolitan Police to notify them of our intentions. We received a polite answer from the on duty officer informing us of the correct contact person to notify. A day later we received an efficient and polite email from an events co-ordinator, asking for more information on the purpose of the picket and what our requirements would be in terms of crowd size, location and props.

Each step of the way we half anticipated questioning and potential opposition to our plans. Instead we received only polite queries and efficiency. 'Can we picket against Malaysia's cruel Internal Security Act outside the Malaysian Tourism Office?' we asked. 'Yes, of course that's fine,' we were told.

We were sent written instructions on how to manage the crowd and standard operating procedures that needed to be followed. 'We'll erect a nice barrier for you outside the Malaysian Tourism Office so that you'll have enough space,' came the polite reply when we said how many people we were anticipating. We nearly fell off our chairs.

Of course it's ok to demonstrate? We'll erect a nice barrier for you so you'll have enough space?

Where was the rude obstructive behaviour we would come to expect if we were organising a picket such as this in KL? Where were the red tape and legislation? Where were the waterguns? Where was the teargas? Where were the intimidating FRU marching towards us with their menacing batons and shields?

Instead we got a friendly bobby called Ian who stopped by to check that everything was going ok. He asked us questions about what we were demonstrating against and even asked if he could have an information leaflet. Then he wished us well and went on his way.

When was the last time we remember a member of the Police Diraja Malaysia behaving like that at an abolish ISA rally? And yet they should, so why don't they? And why as a society have we come to accept bullying and intimidating behaviour as the norm so much so that we feel a sense of awe when things are done in a fair and proper manner?

What it brought home to us though is that freedom of speech and the right to peaceful demonstration is a basic civil liberty and our constitutional right (both in Malaysia and abroad).

In a way it was strangely sobering. It gave us a new sense of respect for the enormity of what the ordinary (but extremely brave) men and women in Malaysia who choose to exercise this right in Malaysia often go through.

While the Malaysian government is busy flogging their tourism and hospitality industry in the UK and Malaysian ministers are hob-knobbing with celebrity chefs in London, the rakyat is rotting in Kamunting and facing the brunt of police batons and FRU waterguns.

We need to send them a clear message that the world has not forgotten…..we are watching….and we are going to keep speaking out till the government finally sits up and listens.

The ISA is a relic of a bygone era, any government that fails to see that and respond is out of touch with the rakyat. It's time the ISA was consigned to the history books.

It's also time that the Malaysian police force underwent a radical reform in the way it conducts itself in the dispensation of its duties, least not in the way it interacts with peaceful demonstrators and attempts to maintain law and order.

If we allow the ISA and the heavy handed Malaysian police force to perpetuate a further 50 years of fear and tyranny we will have failed our country and our children. Perish the thought.

The Abolish ISA Movement UK is organising monthly demonstrations on the last Saturday of each month outside the Malaysian Tourism Office in Trafalgar Square, London between 12-1.30pm. Our next picket is on Saturday, May 29. Please join us if you can. For more information please email us.