Failed protest: Why arrest Yusof Baharuddin?

Solidariti Anak Muda Malaysia (SAMM) Sarawak, which failed to pull-off its ‘Nyah Taib’ (anti-Taib) protest on Dec 29, today accused the police of practicing double standard in the recent arrest of activist Yusof Baharuddin.

The NGO alleged the police were quick to arrest ‘resisting’ activists but played cool on reports of threats to Pakatan Rakyat leaders made in the social media.

“SAMM Sarawak expresses its regret because the police always practise double standards as they are very efficient and fast to arrest resisting activists.

“Yet they remain silent towards every threat made on Pakatan Rakyat leaders through Facebook from government supporters,” SAMM Sarawak coordinator Azan Akma said in a statement.

He was responding to Yusof’s arrest for alleged threatening to murder Sarawak chief minister Taib Mahmud in his recent facebook posting.

Yusof was reportedly arrested at the Kuching International Airport on Tuesday, Dec 31, two days after the failed protest opposite Taib house in Jalan Demak here.

Yusof was remanded for three days and will appear in court tomorrow.

He allegedly posted: “Berapa billion Engkau nak kumpul lagi?? Kau memang zalim, dan kau pemimpin yg tamak dgn kuasa, wang ringgit serta harta. Kau bukan lagi pemimpin yg layak mewakili rakyat Sarawak malah kau bukan seorang pemimpin Islam. (How many millions more do you want to accumulate? You are cruel, and you are a leader who is greedy for power, money and property. You are no longer a worthy leader for Sarawakians, not even a leader of Islam).

“Sesungguhnya kau yg bernama Taib bin Mahmud adalah seorang pemimpin Bangsat..!! Kalau kau berada dihadapan ku pasti aku kasi pecah sama kepala kau yg da bertanduk seperti SETAN…!! (You, Taib bin Mahmud are indeed a despicable leader! If you are in front of me, I will surely crack that head with horns of yours!).”

Situation worsening in Sarawak

Condemning Yusof’s arrest Azan said the former had been actively helping SAMM Sarawak with all its logistics here including the Nyah Taib campaign.

He said Yusof had gone to the Kuching International Airport on Tuesday to send off the SAMM national delegation when police arrested him.

“We are wondering if police arrested and remanded him for because of his post in social network or his involvement in the Kempen Nyah Taib started by SAMM,” she said.

Azan also said SAMM Sarawak had issued a call to all Sarawak youths “to rise and fight the Taib regime’, which she labeled as ‘worsening’ and was ‘stealing Sarawak’s resources’ to ‘consolidate his family’s wealth empire’.

He also alleged that power abuse in the state was now rampant.

“Sarawakians’ lands are being seized and anyone defying Taib is being dragged to the lockup.

“Sarawakians are afraid of Taib Mahmud no more. We must be confident and brave. Enough that we had been oppressed for decades. Let us unite to fight for our rights and defend Sarawak our homeland,” he stated.

A delegation from SAMM national, led by its founder Badrul Hisham Bahrin of Chegu Bard, was in Sarawak for a few days last month.

Among others, they organized a dialogue in Baram and were also in Kuching, in what they described as ‘working visit’ to Sarawak.

They refuted claims that they were involved in the failed protest on Dec 29.

PKR not involved

Badrul, in denying any links between the failed protest, PKR and its youth movement Angkatan Muda Keadilan (AMK) said the ‘planned demonstration was a rumour spun by Taib’s apple polishers”.

Badrul further asserted in his blog chegubard.blogspot.com, that pro-Taib factions had ‘panicked’ in regards to SAMM’s working visit to Sarawak on December 27-30.

In his post dated December 24, Badrul wrote about a pre-launch of ‘Nyah Taib’ campaign, which he described as ‘not a political campaign, but targets Taib individually’.

“(He) had promised many times to the public to quit, but to date, always avoiding the issue using many excuses,” Badrul posted.

He also posted, “the campaign is yet to start but already it brought jitters. The official media to pro-Taib Internet media have been used to attack the SAMM working visit”.

-FMT