July 11, 2012
Fresh Crackdowns Ahead of GE-13?
by Nigel Aw@www.malaysiakini.com
ANALYSIS: Back in 2007, the array of large travel protests as great as the fibre of scandals trimming from judicial fixing to the unravelling of the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) saw BN upon the defensive.
The year was capped by one of the harshest crackdowns since 2001, with some-more than 100 arrested as great as charged with receiving part in the Hindraf protest. Five of the leaders were additionally incarcerated underneath the Internal Security Act (ISA).
Ironically, about the year before Premier Abdullah Ahmad Badawi called for snap polls, he had urged the open to discuss it him the truth. In the end, he didn't quite similar to what he was hearing
Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's Administration is currently similarly plagued with scandals trimming from the Ampang LRT Line prolongation project to the Scorpene submarines crime examine in France, upon tip of the infamous National Feedlot Corporation (NFC) scandal.
Najib, despite earnest to have Malaysia "the world's most appropriate democracy", clamped down on BERSIH with the sledgehammer not once, but twice. And similar to Badawi's slide from grace, Najib's press conferences have become augmenting infrequent, creation it formidable for journalists to query the premier about the fibre of scandals.
With less than the year left to the next ubiquitous election, the question playing upon the minds of most is either history will repeat itself with an a! dditiona l crackdown upon dissent as Najib's administration department loses the shine.
The Companies Commission's sudden "routine inspection" of the annals of tellurian rights group SUARAM, which is posterior the Scorpene box in France, as great as the Police investigation in to PKR plan director Rafizi Ramli underneath the Official Secrets Act for revealing papers allegedly showing which Najib had interfered in the Ampang LRT line prolongation tender could great be tell-tale signs.
However, Institute for Democracy as great as Economic Affairs (IDEAS) Chief
Executive Officer Wan Saiful Wan January (left) believes which the Mahathir-style crackdown is unlikely.
"If we was the government, we would be really worried about rising the crackdown before an election," Wan Saiful said. Any such pierce would usually alienate fence-sitters as great as galvanise opponents during the time when the BN is desperately trying to claw back await lost in the 2008 ubiquitous election.
'Even suppression has transformed'
Political analyst Khoo Kay Peng remarkable which similar to Najib's most transformation programmes the sovereign statute coalition's method of silencing critics has additionally been "transformed".
"I consider the modus operandi has changed, it is right away formidable to clear vital crackdowns upon domestic opponents.Instead, they have been regulating alternative means, such as regulating the law to assign people in justice even yet there is no case, usually to emanate trouble, as great as even the have use of of thugs," Khoo said.
!Khoo pronounced the traces of the Mahathir-style crackdown, such as harassment of polite society, have been the result of the former Premier's one after another change upon the stream administration.
"Recently, Mahathir pronounced in the media which liberalisation had to be curtailed as great as too most freedom would destabilise the government. He (Mahathir) is successful as great as Najib has to listen to him to keep things in balance. Mahathir does not need to go to the Prime Minister's office to give instructions, he has people from his coterie to verbalise for him as great as to vigour Najib."
During his 22-year reign, Mahathir gained notoriety for Operasi Lalang in October 1987, when 106 activists as great as politicians were incarcerated underneath the ISA.
During his tenure, too, newcomer rights activist Irene Fernandez was charged with 'publishing false news' after she revealed abuses during an newcomer apprehension centre. This led to the 13-year legal battle before she was eventually acquitted.
'Political violence might worsen'
He pronounced he expects domestic violence to worsen as the nation moves toward the next election. "I consider it's starting to grow the lot some-more hostile as the police have been not doing anything about it, as great as most of these thugs have been low-ranking UMNO Youth members," he claimed.
Since early this year, harassment has been targeted during Pakatan ceramah sessions, the little of which incited violent, such as those in Sembrong, Gambang, Merlimau as great as Lembah Pantai.
While the days of apprehension but hearing for domestic opponents might be over, Khoo said, these brand brand new strategies of harassment would still not reflect definitely upon the BN.
"It essentially doesn't help. Human inlet is such which no one will agree to danger or bullying tactics," he said.
On the cyber front, an additional non-institutional method is apropos more
prevalent with all 3 Pakatan Rakyat component celebration websites as great as the number of headlines portals, together with Malaysiakini, which were strike with cyber attacks ! by anonymous sources early this month.
Rafizi's blog, which minute the alleged Ampang LRT Line prolongation scandal, was additionally brought down by the apart call of attacks. This, Wan Saiful said, might reflect badly upon the Federal Government, even yet the origin of these attacks could not be proven.
"This is the brand brand new thing as great as it's formidable to infer where it is entrance from. But when usually websites from the opposition have been affected, people will have their suspicions as great as have their own conclusions. It might backfire," he said.
However, Wan Saiful said, the certain growth by the BN is the baby steps in attempting to emulate the opposition plan of exposing scandals, albeit with the little hiccups.
"The avowal as great as exposure of scandals have been better, as great as even improved than process debates," he said.
Similarly, Khoo pronounced BN has started to do the job in states where it is the Opposition. "It's great because in these states they have the purpose to play. If their allegations have been proven loyal afterwards Pakatan contingency definitely do something about it.Pakatan (members) have been no angels. The domestic culture (of corrupt practices) still exists," he added.
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