Media Statement by Assistant Publicity Secretary of Wanita DAP and ADUN for Senai Wong Shu Qi on 24th May 2013 in Kuala Lumpur:
Is BN government purposely spreading fear and creating “white terror” among Malaysians by arresting Pakatan Rakyat leaders and dissenters?
The BN minority government is completely shameless in showing off its true colours merely two weeks after the general election. This is not the first time in Malaysia’s history that dissenters are persecuted, in fact this would be the second time that UMNO leaders distract attention from their internal politics by cracking down on dissenters.
With the UMNO party election drawing closer, we must not forget that Najib did not achieve what he had sworn to do in the last UMNO General Assembly, which was to get back a two-thirds majority in Parliament as well as take back Selangor.
The minority Prime Minister Najib is surely aware that he might be in the same shoes as his predecessor, Abdullah Badawi, who was compelled to resign a year after BN’s disastrous showing in GE12.
As the UMNO party election is fast approaching, the tension between Najib and his deputy Muhyiddin will be worsened especially with Tun Mahathir’s interference.
Undoubtedly, Najib would like to be portrayed as a defender of the Malays or behave more “rightist” than Muhyiddin to avoid any risky situation in the upcoming party election.
Hence, we must question what the main reason is for the heavy crackdown on Pakatan Rakyat leaders and dissenters?
By creating “white terror” and spreading fear among Malaysians, Najib might actually successfully divert the attention of BN members and supporters away from the tense relationship between him and Muhyiddin and UMNO’s internal power struggles.
Unfortunately for Malaysia’s democracy and dissenters’ rights are among the many items that were sacrificed by the UMNO politics.
Undeniably, Najib and his minority government are trying to duplicate Ops Lalang (1987) to divert attention from the deregistration of UMNO, but Malaysian society has changed, developed and become more aware since then. Malaysians will not be intimidated by the authorities’ heavy-handed action against protesters after the various notable civil movements that took place between 2007 and 2013.
Malaysians now are more educated and sophisticated and are tired and sickened by the old politics still being practised by UMNO-BN.
As a head of the minority government who won only 47% of the popular vote, Najib should take heed of the majority’s choice and learn from these lessons. Instead of gaining more support for his leadership and his party, these sorts of rightist actions would only hasten the demise of UMNO-BN.
I hereby urge all Malaysians regardless of race, religion, gender and age, to stand up and voice out against the undemocratic tactics used by the BN minority government which will eventually jeopardize the interests of all Malaysians.
Wong Shu Qi