In a bid to suppress massive public support for the Black505 rallies kicked off by Anwar Ibrahim, it looks like Prime Minister Najib Razak has reverted to scare tactics and draconian measures just days after unveiling a new "transformational" Cabinet and promised to practise "the best democracy".
Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, the PKR state assemblyman for Seri Setia, was charged in the Petaling Jaya Sessions court on Friday morning over the recently-held Kelana Jaya rally to protest fraud and irregularities in the May 5 general election.
According to his lawyer Eric Paulsen, Nik was charged under the Peaceful Assembly Act for allegedly failing to give 10 days notice to the police before the Suara Rakyat Suara Keramat or Black505 rally was held on May 8.
"The charge is an abuse of process and against public policy. The prosecution is done in bad faith, selective and politically-motivated. We will be filing an application to set aside the charge and to declare Section 9 of PAAA as unconstitutional and therefore null and void," Eric told Malaysia Chronicle.
Landmark rally: Don't concede defeat - Gen Y
Anwar, the Opposition Leader who had refused to concede defeat, had launched the rally to protest the electoral victory that he claims was stolen from his Pakatan Rakyat coalition.
The landmark gathering at the Kelana Jaya stadium had drawn more than 150,000 people from all walks of life, mostly young Malaysians in their 20s and 30s who came despite the short notice. Concerned about the fraud allegations, many urged Anwar not to give up or concede defeat.
"I pleaded not guilty," Nik Nazmi tweeted out shortly after he was charged.
"Kinda like a police state right? Rule by fear, intimidation and favours,” his PKR collegue Nurul Izzah, the Lembah Pantai MP, said on her Twitter.
Nurul, Kelana Jaya MP Wong Chen and DAP's Ronnie Liu had gone to the court to show solidarity for Nik Nazmi, who is also the PKR communications chief.
"Eerie looking @ the numerous policemen, special branch officers &fru s on standby for @niknazmi s case. Reminiscent of 1998. PJ," tweeted Nurul.
Najib fights for political survival
Apart from the landmark Kelana Jaya rally, Pakatan has held mega-rallies in Penang, Ipoh, Kuantan and Johor. Tonight, Anwar and team will be in Seremban and next week in Kedah (Tuesday, May 21), Terengganu (Thursday, May 23), Malacca (Friday, May 24).
So far, not less than 500,000 people have come to see the Pakatan leaders talk about GE13 fraud. The unprecedented public support may indeed be why Prime Minister Najib Razak is moving to mow down the Pakatan's momentum.
The 59-year-old PM, whose announcement of a new Cabinet just days ago was brushed aside by an indifferent public, seems to be in a quandry as to how to quell the uprising of popular support for his political rivals.
The Pakatan has identified 27 seats in the federal Parliament that they claim were won "dubiously". They want a review and re-election in these seats.
But fighting for his own political survival, Najib is unlikely to agree. Most analysts expect him to use a combination of delaying and scare tactics to defuse the situation.
BN confirming their guilt'
The latest high-handed police action is also unlikely to deter the Pakatan from carrying on with their wildly-successive 'roadshows'. Neither is it likely to stop the people, who braved the rain to see their 'heroes', from coming to the future rallies.
"It will only create greater public disgust and unhappiness with Najib Razak. Already the people feel he is not a legitimate prime minister and BN not a legitimate government because of the electoral cheating which many experienced first-hand for themselves, such as the indelible ink which washed out in less than an hour," PKR MP for Batu Tian Chua told Malaysia Chronicle.
"By using the police and under-handed tactics to the Black505 rallies, BN is only confirming their own guilt making things worse for themselves."
Crackdown on organizers
Police have also hauled up the alleged organisers for Wednesday's Black505 rally held in front of the PKR's office in Taman Puteri Wangsa, Johor.
PKR state secretary Abdul Shukor bin Ayob and state work secretary Yuneswaran A/L Ramaraj were called up for alleged involvement in the gathering which drew a crowd of more than 60,000.
"The move to interview them over the event is an intimidation of those seeking to exercise their right to assemble in a peaceful manner," PKR's communications bureau had said in a statement issued on Thursday.
According to PKR officials, Nik Nazmi was charged under Section 9(1) of Peaceful Assembly Act and faces a fine of up to RM10,000 if found guilty. Lawyer Eric Paulsen is representing the 32-year-old assemblyman.
-MC
Saturday, May 18, 2013
Najib, BN fight for political survival
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Pakatan Pembangkang kini dilihat cuba berselindung disebalik nama pertubuhan bukan kerajaan (NGO) bagi mengerakkan usaha demonstrasi secara besar-besaran bertujuan bagi menggulingkan kerajaan yang dipilih oleh rakyat secara sah pada Pilihanraya Umum ke 13 baru-baru ini.
ReplyDeleteSelepas kegagalan pembangkang untuk menawan Putrajaya melalui pilihan raya, kini demonstrasi dan himpunan haram digunakan bagi merealisasikan cita-cita mereka yang tidak tercapai itu.
ReplyDeletePengerusi SUKAGUAM, Datuk Khairul Anwar Rahmat berkata tindakan pembangkang itu sebagai tidak menghormati sistem perundangan dan perlembagaan negara, mereka seharusnya menerima keputusan rakyat yang telah memilih kerajaan untuk memerintah melalui proses pilihan raya yang telah diguna pakai sejak merdeka dahulu.
ReplyDeleteSistem pemerintahan negara ini adalah demokrasi berparlimen, oleh itu mereka harus terima apa yang telah diputuskan, jika tidak berpuas hati, mereka boleh membawa perkara itu mengikut lunas-lunas undang-undang yang telah ditetapkan dan bukannya membuat keputusan sendiri sehingga menyusahkan rakyat.
ReplyDelete“Tindakan mengadakan demonstrasi atau perhimpunan haram sebagai tanda tidak berpuas hati adalah tindakan tidak betul, bukan sahaja menyalahi undang-undang, malah boleh menimbulkan suatu suasana yang tidak sihat di kalangan rakyat,” katanya
ReplyDeleteBeliau berkata demikian ketika diminta mengulas tindakan pembangkang yang mengadakan demonstrasi dan perhimpunan haram sebagai tanda bantahan terhadap keputusan pilihan raya umum yang lalu yang menyifatkan sebagai tidak bersih.
ReplyDeleteKhairul menyifatkan, apa yang dilakukan oleh pembangkang itu lebih menjurus untuk mengembalikan populariti mereka yang tercemar berikutan kegagalan mereka menawan Putrajaya kerana sebelum pilihan raya diadakan, mereka berkeyakinan tinggi menawan Putrajaya dan beberapa buah negeri selain Selangor, Pulau Pinang dan Kelantan.
ReplyDelete“Jika mereka mengatakan pilihan raya ini sebagai tidak bersih, bagaimana pula mereka mampu mempertahankan beberapa negeri seperti Selangor, Pulau Pinang dan Kelantan, sudah pasti pembangkang kehilangan ketiga-tiga negeri itu jika pilihan raya ini tidak dijalankan dengan betul seperti yang didakwa oleh mereka,” katanya.
ReplyDeleteMenurutnya, walaupun pembangkang menyatakan bahawa demonstrasi dan perhimpunan haram itu dilakukan oleh badan bukan kerajaan, tetapi sebenarnya semua tindakan itu didalangi oleh pembangkang yang bertopeng kumpulan berkenaan.
ReplyDeleteKatanya, perbuatan yang dilakukan oleh pembangkang itu adalah suatu usaha yang sia-sia, mereka seharusnya memberi tumpuan untuk membantu kerajaan mengembalikan keamanan dan kesejahteraan kehidupan bermasyarakat yang sebelum ini telah terlalu lama dimomok-momokkan dengan suasana berpolitik sejak pilihan raya ke 12 lalu.
ReplyDeleteConcerted efforts by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Najib’s administration have churned out many success stories within five years.
ReplyDeleteWhile some economies are ‘cracking their heads’ grappling with their huge debts, rising jobless heads, Malaysia is forging ahead with its own ‘steady melodious rhythm’.
One of the not-to-neglect factors that should be made known is the increase in the household income amid steady Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth since 2009, supported by ‘inclusive’ economic planning.
ReplyDelete“If Malaysia can sustain decent economic growth going forward, it will likely see further improvements in the household income,” said chief economist of Malaysian Rating Corp Bhd (MARC), Nor Zahidi Alias.
“The 7.2 per cent annual increase in the average monthly income of our households is quite encouraging considering the inflation rate which rose by an average 2.2 per cent per annum on a Cumulative Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) basis.
ReplyDelete“Food prices increased by 3.3 per cent per annum while transport costs climbed by 2.3 per cent per annum in the same period.
“So, the increase in household income has generally outpaced the increases in the cost of goods and services that households have to incur,” Nor Zahidi.
The 2012 Household Income Survey recently found the average monthly income of Malaysian households rising from RM4,025 in 2009 to RM5,000 in 2012, an increase of 7.2 per cent annually.
ReplyDeleteThe urban household monthly income increased at a rate of 6.6 per cent a year from RM4,705 in 2009 to RM5,742 last year, while the rural household monthly income rose 6.4 per cent annually from RM2,545 to RM3,080.
ReplyDelete“That’s the positive part of it. In addition, in major cities like Kuala Lumpur, household income rose at a faster pace of 14.9 per cent and this helped compensate price increases which tend to be faster in urban centres,” he said.
ReplyDeleteNor Zahidi noted that among the major factors that explained the increase in the household income are strong economic growth as evidenced by GDP growth over the past few years.
ReplyDeleteThe other factors are favourable labour market with jobless rate at circa three per cent and government efforts such as Economic Transformation Programme and Government Transformation Programme which created jobs and business opportunities for the unemployed, he said.
Nor Zahidi oversees MARC’s macroeconomic research and analysis, focusing on domestic and major economies’ fiscal and monetary policy issues and economic outlook.
ReplyDeleteHis insights provide sound macroeconomic perspectives for MARC’s credit ratings.
The Malaysian Institute of Economic Research (MIER) has projected Malaysia’s growth outlook for 2014 to be between five to 5.5 per cent.
ReplyDeleteThis is on account of the expected fiscal strategies and measures to rein in the budget deficit, generally tight financial conditions and enhanced downside risks.
ReplyDeleteIts executive director Dr Zakariah Abdul Rashid said the fiscal policy manoeuvring requires strong “political will” to deal with not only the deficit but also other tough politico-economic issues.
ReplyDeleteThe possibility is there. But this does not mean there have been no structural reforms at all.
ReplyDeletethe public sector account has been in deficit for a long time and requires some bold measures to overcome this.
ReplyDeleteThere are political implications to doing this. That is why undertaking the bold measures need ‘political will’ as well. There should be no more delays in structural adjustments and reform plans.
ReplyDeletePolicies that have been spelt out, structural reform initiatives and programmes need to be implemented, and not left on the shelf or on hold
ReplyDelete