PERSATUAN KESEDARAN KOMUNITI SELANGOR
AN OPEN LETTER TO THE PRIME MINISTER OF MALAYSIA
8 MAY 2009
Prime Minister of Malaysia,
Prime Minister’s Office,
Main Block, Perdana Putra Building ,
Federal Government Administrative Centre,
62502 Putrajaya , MALAYSIA
Tel : 603-8888 8000
Fax : 603-8888 3444
E-Mail: [email protected]. my
Yang Amat Berhormat Prime Minister,
RESTORE DEMOCRACY AND THE RESPECT AND CONFIDENCE OF THE CITIZENS
RELEASE ALL THOSE ARRESTED ARBITRARILY
Persatuan Kesedaran Komuniti Selangor is writing this open letter to express our grave concern against police blatant disregard for freedom of assembly and expression. Last night, another 19 persons were arrested at Brickfields for exercising their democratic right as guaranteed under the Federal Constitution. Most absurdly, civil society activists and lawyers who were detained unceremoniously and arbitrarily.
In particular, PKKS is concern for the safety and security of our staff and activist, Ong Jing Cheng. He has been our Programme Officer since 2007 and is directly involved with the programmes and activities of the Coalition for Good Governance, whereby PKKS holds the Chair and Secretariat posts. He is also the Secretary of Administration of DEMA. As a student activist, he has actively campaigned to abolish AUKU, a repressive law that curbs freedoms of expression and association. Ong Jing Cheng was detained with all the rest of the 13 other social activists at Brickfields Police Station on 7 May 2009.
We are also aware that arrests were also made to a peaceful candle light assembly in Penang and Perak. Such arrests are major violations of human rights as they were exercised arbitrarily, detainees were denied of access to lawyers, and lawyers who were present to represent their clients were arrested.
Such undemocratic actions can only be perceived by the public as a roadmap leading towards a state of lawlessness and authoritarianism. The police are given wide powers to wield against peaceful assemblies and citizens who want to exercise their civil liberties.
Prime Minister, when you announced your new government, you have assured Malaysians that change will happen – but the public perception now is that the change has come as a wolf in a sheep’s skin. As your new government unmasks its 1 Malaysia and its plans for the future, we witness a total and disgraceful display of police and FRU’s abuse of powers at the Perak state assembly yesterday, whereby the police, as the executive arm, interfered and entered into the state assembly hall to physically removed the rightfully elected Speaker. We witness arbitrary arrests of citizens who only wanted to express their demand for democratic processess to be adhered in Perak. We witness the arrest of Wong Chin Huat, a social activist and writer, which was couched under the Sedition Act when in fact his arrest tantamouts to that of the use of the draconian Internal Security Act. He was whished to an unknown detention centre and denied his legal right. We also witness the arbitrary arrests of citizens who participated in the candle light vigil when all they want to do was to show their solidarity and seek for the release of their fellow activists whom they believe have done no wrong nor violated any laws. They were there to exercise their civil liberty rights and freedoms.
Prime Minister, your 1 Malaysia will become 1Black Malaysia if these undemocratic actions are not halted and stopped. As your new government continues to wave its police powers and draconian laws at the citizens, it will inevitably lead to the death of democracy. Citizens have made a call for democracy, justice and equality at the March 8 General Elections. Do not throw these precious gains away but build on them for a more gender equality, inclusive democratic, just, and peaceful Malaysia.
So Prime Minister, while the ball may be in your court but the citizens too hold our own bats and change is in our hands. We, therefore, urge your administration to release immediately all those detained by the police in Penang, Perak, and Kuala Lumpur. Let democracy be decided by the people of Perak and let the due process happen.
Thank you
Yours sincerely
Maria Chin Abdullah
Executive Director
Persatuan Kesedaran Komuniti Selangor
Malaysians true and true!