Malay rights group Perkasa has blamed the police’s leniency for the series of disrespectful incidents on Merdeka Day eve, such as the stepping and mooning of photographs of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and his wife Rosmah Mansor.
Perkasa secretary-general Syed Hassan Syed Ali in a statement yesterday faulted the police for not arresting the perpetrators immediately at the time of the incidents.
"The police's statement that they did not act against them (at the time) to avoid tension, is seen by the people as an act of cowardice rather than of the need to prevent tension.
"The police's standard operating procedure now has allowed the youth to become more daring in carrying out their insolent acts," he said.
Syed Hassan pointed out that in the past, the police would even dare walk into opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim's house to arrest him.
"Had the police been consistently stern, certainly they (the youths) would not have dared to do such insolent actions," he said.
Describing the police's justification as "hilarious", Syed Hassan said the force should not respond to criticism if it was going to embarrass itself.
Perkasa secretary-general Syed Hassan Syed Ali in a statement yesterday faulted the police for not arresting the perpetrators immediately at the time of the incidents."The police's statement that they did not act against them (at the time) to avoid tension, is seen by the people as an act of cowardice rather than of the need to prevent tension.
"The police's standard operating procedure now has allowed the youth to become more daring in carrying out their insolent acts," he said.
Syed Hassan pointed out that in the past, the police would even dare walk into opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim's house to arrest him.
"Had the police been consistently stern, certainly they (the youths) would not have dared to do such insolent actions," he said.
Describing the police's justification as "hilarious", Syed Hassan said the force should not respond to criticism if it was going to embarrass itself.
Pot calling kettle
Syed Hassan noted that the police are still looking for six more individuals who had allegedly insulted the national flag and the premier's photographs.
"Had this incident been perpetrated by foreigners, they would have long left the country," he said.
Syed Hassan (left) cited the example of the Taiwanese activists who had aided in a protest against a petrochemical plant in Pengerang.
He warned that the police’s continued leniency might allow foreigners to infiltrate demonstrations and cause riots.
"Had this incident been perpetrated by foreigners, they would have long left the country," he said.Syed Hassan (left) cited the example of the Taiwanese activists who had aided in a protest against a petrochemical plant in Pengerang.
He warned that the police’s continued leniency might allow foreigners to infiltrate demonstrations and cause riots.
This year’s Merdeka eve celebrations at Dataran Merdeka were marred by several incidents where some youths had stepped on the photographs of Najib and Rosmah, while some had displayed the Sang Saka Malaya flag.
The acts had pro-government groups baying for blood, while heavy handed police action against some of the acts’ perpetrators have elicited similar consternation amongst those in the opposite camp.
Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng had blasted police double standards for not acting against those who had burned and stepped on his photographs, oneinvolving Perkasaitself this May, and for handcuffing the teen who had owned up to stepping on Najib’s photo.
PAS vice-president Mahfuz Omar meanwhile asked why the authorities had not acted with similar haste against Perkasa Kedah for allegedly throwing a shoe into a mosque where opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim was giving a talk last Sunday.
MPM wants rehab centre
Meanwhile Bernama reported that the Malay Consultative Council (MPM) today proposed that the National Unity Department set up a Civic Rehabilitation Centre to educate groups which behave in an unruly manner and show no respect for the law.
Its secretary-general, Hasan Mad, told a news conference that the department should not allow such groups to exploit the people for political interests.
Hasan said that unless the matter was resolved, it was feared that society would be faced with a serious identity crisis, lack of civic consciousness and deviation from noble cultural and religious values.
MPM claims to have more than 220 Malay, Islamic and bumiputera NGOs with a total membership of two million under its jurisdiction.
The acts had pro-government groups baying for blood, while heavy handed police action against some of the acts’ perpetrators have elicited similar consternation amongst those in the opposite camp.
Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng had blasted police double standards for not acting against those who had burned and stepped on his photographs, oneinvolving Perkasaitself this May, and for handcuffing the teen who had owned up to stepping on Najib’s photo.PAS vice-president Mahfuz Omar meanwhile asked why the authorities had not acted with similar haste against Perkasa Kedah for allegedly throwing a shoe into a mosque where opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim was giving a talk last Sunday.
MPM wants rehab centre
Meanwhile Bernama reported that the Malay Consultative Council (MPM) today proposed that the National Unity Department set up a Civic Rehabilitation Centre to educate groups which behave in an unruly manner and show no respect for the law.
Its secretary-general, Hasan Mad, told a news conference that the department should not allow such groups to exploit the people for political interests.
Hasan said that unless the matter was resolved, it was feared that society would be faced with a serious identity crisis, lack of civic consciousness and deviation from noble cultural and religious values.
MPM claims to have more than 220 Malay, Islamic and bumiputera NGOs with a total membership of two million under its jurisdiction.
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