Anwar slams Najib for latest "TYRANNY"

Adam Adli has been charged with sedition purportedly “by calling for the toppling of the elected government”. Tian Chua, Harris Ibrahim and Tamrin Tun Ghafar have been arrested. This is tyranny writ large.

Let’s get it straight: Najib’s government is not a duly elected government. It is a government that’s come into power by systemic widespread fraud aided and abetted by the Election Commission. Its legitimacy is therefore in question. This is our position and we are mounting a legal and judicial challenge in this regard.

Meantime, the people by the hundreds of thousands are exercising their constitutional right to gather peacefully to demonstrate their utter disgust with this cheating and the consequent illegitimate assumption of power. By the latest count, almost half a million Malaysians, mostly comprising the young from all races have attended our nation-wide rallies.

They have come because of their conviction for justice and their deep sense of fair play and not because of any inducement or bribe or promise of material gain. On the contrary, they have come to these rallies in spite of the constant threats and warnings from the police of arrest because they believe in their cause – a cause for their future and the generations to come. This is nobility of spirit which no tyranny can suppress. Adam Adli embodies this spirit and the aspirations of the hundreds of thousands who have attended and the millions more who voted for change, fair play and justice.

Reneging on political reform

The dictatorships of Stalin, Marcos and Suharto are long gone. The likes of Ben Ali, Mubarak and Gaddafi are gone not so long ago. Even Mahathir’s time where such abuses of state power were ever so common is over. Yet, not only has Najib reneged on his pledges of political reform, he is winding the clock backwards.

First, Nik Nazmi was charged. Last night, they arrested 18 people who together with a thousand others had gathered in front of the Jinjang police station to show support for Adam. No doubt, this intimidation will continue even as the show of solidarity for those arrested will spring up across the land.

The new Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar is talking tough and issuing all kinds of threats to the people, taking the cue from the Home Minister. May I remind him that his duty is to serve the people. His priority is to keep the county safe – not from legitimate peaceful rallies – but from criminals and real mischief makers.

Meanwhile, DAP veteran Dr. Chen Man Hin, who should rightly be honoured for his tireless service to the people, was hauled up and interrogated over frivolous allegations about him being linked to a plot to overthrow the government. This is completely insane.

Wasting taxpayers' money

Is this Najib’s way of spending tax payers’ money? Is this the new direction to be given to the police under its new IGP? While real criminals, including those who commit hate and racist crimes, are going about with impunity, those who are calling for justice are being hounded like rats and prosecuted?

Police detainee N Dharmendran was beaten to death and people at a peaceful candle light vigil for Adam in Penang were assaulted by thugs while UMNO’s racist inciters to hatred and thugs are roaming the nation with impunity.

Najib is stepping on the heads of the rakyat. Eventually, the rakyat will prevail.

Anwar Ibrahim is the PKR adviser