Parti Sosialis Malaysia, picked on by the authorities and accused of 'rekindling' Communism, has made startling revelations. 14 of its women members detained in a recent crackdown have been "kicked on the legs", "pushed and spat on", told to drink water from the toilet bowl and forced to change clothes in front of male officers.
The women were part of a group of 30 PSM members, including Sungai Siput MP Dr Michael Jeyakumar Devaraj, who were arrested at the Sungai Dua toll plaza in Penang. They had been travelling in a bus and were part of a roadshow and leafleting campaign for the July 9 Bersih Rally for free and fair elections.
Since then the group has been controversially remanded for 7 days, separated and sent to three police lockups at Kepala Batas, Penang and Sungai Dua.
Too little, too late
Amid huge public outcry, the federal government has allowed the High Court to hear on Wednesday an application for the revision of the remand order. But it maybe too little and too late.Outraged colleagues and family members of the detainees initially denied visitation rights have decided to blow the whistle on the alleged misconduct of the Malaysian police, who have from Day One been accused of bullying the motley group of mostly lower-income ethnic Indians.
PSM central committee member V Selvam was reported as telling Malaysiakini that one woman detainee had been “pushed and spat on”, while another, G Pakialetchumy, was “kicked on the legs”. Detainee P Jody, who asked for drinking water, was even told to drink from the toilet bowl.
"When a detainee asked for drinking water to take pills for diabetes, she was given syrup water. When the women were told to change into lock-up clothes, male officers were in front of them,” Selvam said.
"That is why we became suspicious when the police denied the families their visitation rights yesterday although they were told on Monday that they would be allowed in."
PSM has lodged a police report in Kepala Batas on the various complaints received.
Najib must explain and apologise
Meanwhile, Sungai Siput MP Dr Michael and two others have been taken to the Penang Hospital for suspected dehydration and diabetes."We took Dr Jeyakumar along to the hospital at about 2pm and brought him back to the state police contingent headquarters an hour later," Star reported Penang police chief Ayub Yaakob as saying on Tuesday.
"We wanted to ensure that the medicine was suitable for Dr Jeyakumar's consumption. At the same time, we also sought the doctors' advice on his health condition
But the police efforts to calm the relatives of the PSM members failed to convince many Malaysians, who are demanding the immediate release of the detainees and a full explanation and apology from Prime Minister Najib Razak and his government.
Even now, the police are tryining to brazen out from the situation of their own creation. On Sunday, Penang deputy police chief Abdul Rahim Jaafar announced that the group were "waging war" against the King.
"They were carrrying items inciting the people to hate the government. This is serious and can threaten national security. "They include flyers and t-shirts with Chin Peng, Rashid Maidin and Suriani Abdullah - all connected to MCP - written on them," Abdul Rahim said.
Charade continues
He said police were looking at several angles in their investigation into PSM. The case is being investigated under Section 122 of the Penal Code which relates to the collecting of men, arms or ammunition with the intention of waging war against the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, a Ruler or Yang Dipertua Negri.
"They had made much preparation, such as distributing leaflets and wearing T-shirts propagating the ideology with the aim of inciting the people to hate the government," Bernama reported Bakri as saying.
The PSM is a grassroots party built on a socialist platform and focuses on the marginalized and helpless members of the Malaysian community. Like most opposition parties, PSM is not wealthy and Michael is its only elected representative.
Amidst the frenzy of draconian measures to prevent the July 9 Bersih rally from taking place, many Malaysians have begun to wonder: Has Malaysia descended into a state of lawlessness?
No sooner had Home Minister declared that wearing the yellow Bersih T-shirt was illegal, the Inspector General of Police up the ante by announcing that even “shoes, cars, buses or any medium that promote the Bersih rally are illegal, as this amounts to sedition”, and he said the people involved will be arrested.
To date, more than a hundred people have been arrested all over the country in the past four days, mainly for wearing the yellow Bersih shirts.
To me, this sounds like someone speaking and acting as if he is the absolute monarch who can order the arrest of anyone at his whims, and whose word is law. For nowhere in the Malaysian law can you find a provision that allow a minister or a police officer to declare an item such as the Bersih shirt illegal or to arrest someone before a crime is committed or suspected to have been committed. The Bersih rally is not even held, so how can a crime be committed in connection with the rally?
BERSIH ABOVE BOARD
So, what has driven the Minister and the IGP into such extreme conduct of resorting to brazenly unlawful exercise of power?
Is Bersih a terrorist organization that plots to overthrow the government by violence? Is Bersih calling people to break laws and create chaos? What terrible deeds have Bersih done to cause such phobia in the authorities that they should strike at everything that moves, so to speak, that smells of Bersih?
None of that.
Bersih is a civil society movement participated by sixty two non-government organizations to campaign for electoral reforms. . And the July 9 rally is specifically called to address the problem of the authorities’ recalcitrance to institute any form of reform. Despite persistent requests over many years, the Election Commission and the incumbent ruling coalition Barisan Nasional have not moved even one inch towards reforming an electoral system that has been reduced to a complete farce through ever escalating vote-buying, abuse of power and massive rigging.
With such noble intention, how could Bersih be branded as anything other than a respectable body that works towards restoration of democracy and return of political power to the people? It should be obvious by now that without free and fair election, political power is vested in a few incumbent leaders, not with the people.
And when such a respectable body calls for a rally to highlight its cause to the nation, how can such a rally be taboo, and everything connected with it be decreed illegal?
Up to now, the incumbent hegemon Umno and the police have not come up with an iota of credible evidence that the Bersih rally is anything but a peaceful and honourable gathering, called in accordance with the right endowed by the Constitution to every citizen. Regretably, the police have so far conducted themselves as a force serving Umno’s parochial political interests, in direct confrontation with the interests of the masses.
AUTHORITIES’ EXCUSES INCREDULOUS
The excuses given so far to justify arrest and to label the rally illegal are laughable and carry no credibility – accusations such as a communist plot to wage war against the Agong, a movement aided by foreign Christian bodies to subvert the country, an event that will jeopardize public order and national security, and cause economic damage.
These tales of impending threats and calamities are so far-fetched that they are not only disbelieved by decent Malaysians, but also reflect the paucity of rationale of the incumbent power to justify their condemnation and clampdown on the movement.
That their excuses to crucify the Bersih rally are rubbish is amply manifested in the admirable political and economic well being of those democratic countries where such peaceful rallies are part and parcel of their democratic way of life. Look at our regional neighbor Hong Kong. Rallies of a few hundred thousand people to demonstrate against the Hong Kong or Chinese government are routinely staged there, and yet there was not the slightest indication that public order was affected or businesses harmed. On the contrary, Hong Kong continues to enjoy ever increasing prosperity and stability.
So, what is Umno afraid of?
The honest truth and the bottom line is: Umno has no confidence to politically survive a free and fair election.
That is why it has not yielded an inch in the direction of moving Malaysian election to a more level-playing field, and it has no intention to do so in the future.
Umno also realizes that it has committed too many wrongs that betray the people’s interest, and more people have come to know of these through the fast growing alternative media. Combined with the growing influence of opposition alliance Pakatan Rakyat, the coming rally could be a powerful demonstration of the people’s will to reclaim sovereignty from the long-reigning kleptocracy through electoral reforms.
That is something that Umno does not want to see happening.
NO WIN FOR UMNO
We can hence expect that Umno will continue to step up pressure against Bersih by manipulating compliant institutions such as police and judiciary, at the expense of the Constitution and law, to stifle the Bersih move.
But Umno is in a no-win situation. To be faithful to the Constitution which means that the peaceful rally must be allowed to proceed, Umno dreads to see a mammoth assembly that could be demoralizing to its dwindling supporters. On the hand, a brutal repression that breaks all laws may kindle public fury to an explosive state with unpredictable consequences. Even if it succeeds in suppressing the rally, it can only bring temporary relief to Umno, as the ugly scenes of unjustified cruelty and transgression of law and fundamental human rights will be mercilessly bared for all to see, thanks to modern IT technology, reminiscent of the Tahrir square uprising and the subsequent revolutionary fire that has spread across the entire Arab world. By that time, Umno and BN’s popular support may have so dwindled that even the status quo of skewed election and stooge institutions cannot save it from an electoral defeat.
I am confident that the majority of Malaysians has already reached such a level of political consciousness that the will of the people will prevail to make July 9 rally an important turning point in our struggle to reclaim democracy and sovereignty for the people.
Every country goes through a crisis now and then. Malaysia is in the middle of one. It is a crisis that can be easily resolved. Bersih will stand down, if the Government of Malaysia promises to review and implement reforms to the Electoral Process to ensure Free and Fair Elections.
But our government will not budge. They insist that the Electoral Roll is clean. There is no hanky panky. There is nothing to change. Malaysians must accept that without question. It is the same concerning Royalty and Religion. You should never question these two institutions.
Today, everything is still force-fed, shoved down our throats. Malaysians are groomed never to question the status quo. You have no rights. To the non-Malays, you are free to leave this country if you are not happy with the order of things. To the Malays, they must discipline themselves to follow the Masterplan set out by UMNO since independence; that is to be a practising Muslim and practise Malay customs and traditions. Do not ape the West, as they are decadent, practise Devil Worship, Free Sex and are all doomed to Hell. Be a good boy and do not question UMNO’s wisdom.
Silat next
More than 50,000 Silat exponents are prepared to “wage war” with Bersih activists next Saturday, Utusan Malaysiareported today.
The Mahaguru (grandmaster) of the Pertubuhan Seni Silat Lincah Malaysia (PSSLM) Omardin Mauju said that the exponents were the third line of defence in the country, after the police and military, to ensure national security.“We maintain our stand to go to ‘war’ if they still want to proceed with this illegal rally. If it happens, I cannot guarantee I can control the emotions of my members because they have been taught to act when faced with opposition.”
The Mahaguru, a Tan Sri wants to whack the living daylights out of Bersih activists for participating in a Democracy March. Silat, an Art of Self Defence is now being used to launch a pre-emptive strike. A chop, chop here and a chop, chop there, and then some flying kicks everywhere as they have been taught to respond when faced with opposition.
And all the while we thought that Silat is actually practised for self-defense. Why would they also want to go to war? Bersih marchers only have yellow T-shirts as weapons, while the Silat Lincah, a lethal Ninja-style group gets to chop and kick around. Imagine Ambiga, Teresa Kok and Nurul Izzah Anwar forced to defend themselves against these lethal Silat exponents?
A clean government is no good
Nowadays, there is more opposition against a clean government, fairly elected political leaders, democratic reforms, meritocracy, equality, honest and democratic policies and corrupt-free governance. One wonders why?
Some Malaysians are so used to a despotic regime, that a Clean Government sounds so alien to them. They have forgotten about Justice, Fair-play, and a secured future for their families and themselves. Some of them are so desperate that they will do anything for a couple of ringgit. They look to short-term gains, which will satisfy their hungry tummies. They have no master-plan for their future and they are too lazy to use their brains to think one step ahead.
They are arrogant, self-egoistic, ignorant and stubborn and are natural bullies. They rather defend their own beliefs than to accept a second opinion. They also light up at the sight of money, and willingly sell their souls to get their grubby hands on some cash.
Growing up with a siege mentality, they struggle daily to maintain their sanity as long as they can grease their hands with money that will satisfy their ever hungry quest. Obviously, not very bright, they can still force a nation to accept their ridiculous excuses of a Communist threat, terrorist threat, waging wars on the King, a national security threat and revolutionary threats.
Knowing that the Malaysian public is wary of their antics, they never fail to use the Race and Religion card to propagandize their evil designs. These same people who try to sell their image as a holy practising Muslim, unwilling to embrace Democracy for the sake of protecting the Race and Religion.
State mufti’s, religious clerics, academic lecturers, political analysts, pro-Govt journalists, mosquito political parties and NGOs have joined the chorus to criticize the Bersih March as dirty, unIslamic and illegal.
A Pandora's Box it cannot close
The Police meanwhile have stepped up harassment and arrests on innocent civilians and political leaders, as well as Bersih Organizers. Invoking the harshest laws to quell dissent, they hope to break the political will of the people.
There is no doubt about it that Bersih 2.0 has opened up a Pandora Box. Unwittingly opened by BN itself, due to its anti-rally vehemence, BN is now hard-pressed to close the box again.
Bersih has now found a life of its own and is starting to snowball into a mammoth event. With unexpected mass news coverage and media spotlight, the MARCH has achieved its objective to alert the nation that all the existing electoral hanky panky has to be reformed. The process and system must be overhauled and revamped.
Complacent Malaysians are starting to wake up. The tide is turning and a mini tsunami is starting to gather strength. Let’s hope it will swarm all over the Peninsular and continue all the way to the beautiful shores of Sabah and Sarawak as well. SALAM BERSIH!
Thousands of women across the globe are marching in protest against the idea that what they wear and how they behave makes them a target for sexual assault. Popularly called Slut-Walks, these marches have garnered media attention and hype as much for the controversial name as for the provocative dressing – rather, undressing – women have chosen as a form of protest.
The global feminist protest was triggered by a Canadian police officer, who, in a talk on public safety delivered at York University in Toronto, suggested women should avoid dressing like ‘sluts’ if they wished to avoid sexual assaults – thus effectively blaming women for rapes and absolving men of responsibility.
The officer was made to apologise instantly, but the incident had fired up women’s ire against the centuries-old ‘She asked for it’ excuse men give for rapes. Viral communication effectively did the rest to translate the movement into the biggest global feminist movement the world has seen in decades.
The outburst of protest originating in Canada SlutWalked its way to the US, Europe and on to England last weekend. And now, Delhi will soon see its own SlutWalk
Of course it is ludicrous to suggest that a woman invites sexual aggression against herself. Nothing justifies rape. Moreover, rape is as much part of the world where women traditionally cover themselves from head to toe as it is of the world where they wear barely-there clothes. But equally ludicrous is the manner in which women around the world have reacted – by taking off clothes and adopting the ‘slut’ word as signifying their right to dress as they please without attracting judgment. Donning fishnets, bras, stilettos and even going naked, they have ironically proved the veracity of the Canadian cop’s statement.
The one thing SlutWalks across the globe have proved, unfortunately, is that the quickest and most effective way for women to grab headlines is to shed clothes. By parading around half-naked and proclaiming themselves ‘sluts’, these women have rolled back the work of serious feminists by a good many years.
Click on pictures to enlarge.
When women across the globe step out dressed as sex objects in the name of feminism – the very movement that fought to divest them of the ‘sex object’ tag – it is time to sit up and figure out what went wrong!
Feminist movements have ensured that no woman need be ashamed of her feminity, but never implied that she has the right to strut her wares with an impunity that invites derision and, debatably, even aggression. Micro-minis and plunging necklines designed to show as much of backsides, thighs and cleavage as possible can by no stretch of imagination be construed as empowering for women. These may give young girls the satisfaction of being fashionable, but ask any girl if she would feel safer walking down a dark alley in normal clothes or in a bustier, micromini and fishnet stockings!
Participation in defiant marches with provocative slogans across bosoms announcing ‘Proud sluts’ or ‘We are all chambermaids’ or ‘Can’t touch this without consent’ or ‘I’m scantily clad; nobody is raping me!’ draws attention for all the wrong reasons, however worthy the cause.
The manner in which we dress or deport ourselves certainly has an impact on the way we get treated. And that holds true for both men and women. A woman who covers herself modestly sends out completely different signals to the world than does another who bares her body. A woman who bares more skin than the norm is definitely using her body to advertise her sexuality and sending out the message that she wishes to attract interest. Unfortunately the ‘slut’ brigade is managing to reinforce that impression. The issue here seems not a protest against rape as much as for the right to be called and act like a ‘slut’, whatever that may mean.
Click on pictures to enlarge.
True, pejorative words like ‘slut’ and ‘whore’ have been used by men forever to put women down. Also true that historical linguistics shows pejorative terms have sometimes been later adopted as nonpejorative, but is that what all the fight is about? The desire to reclaim the ‘slut’ word is as absurd an idea as fighting for the right to be called ‘evil’, ‘cruel’ or a ‘moron’. ‘Slut’ as a word traditionally has a negative connotation, meaning a dirty, slovenly woman and later referring to women who are free with their sexual favours. No matter how hard women across the world try, they cannot now imbue it with a positive hue and announce all women are ‘sluts’ and should be respected as such.
It is not pejorative words as much as pejorative minds that need to undergo a change. Meanwhile, men, obviously mesmerised by the female charms on display globally, haven't even taken cognisance of the implied insult to them in the beleaguered cop's statement. The Canadian cop's statement seems to imply all men, without exception, are likely to jump the next woman they perceive to be dressed like a 'slut'.
To imply that all men are lascivious wolves waiting to pounce on women who dress scantily is more insulting to men than to women. In fact maybe men should soon be taking out 'wolf marches' after these SlutWalks
To imply that all men are lascivious wolves waiting to pounce on women who dress scantily is more insulting to men than to women. In fact maybe men should soon be taking out 'wolf marches' after these SlutWalks
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