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Najib unmasked - 24 Hours of Terror

Malaysian Socialist Party Press Statement - May 7, 2009

The last 24 hours demonstrates the “un-masked” Najib in handling affairs of the country. Wong Chin Huat who called on Malaysians’ to wear black was arrested under sedition Act and further remanded, Mohamad Sabu who was supposed to lead a mass prayers over the Perak state assembly sitting was arrested and locked up in Slim River, People who went to show solidarity to Chin Huat was harassed and arrested in front of the Brickfield Police Station. A few students who send a cake on Altantuya’s birthday was taken seriously and arrested. The Police had also obtained a court injunction which allows them to arrest on sight any member of the public seen within the vicinity of Perak state secretariat building. The IGP, Musa Hassan had also warned the public not to wear black today.

We have just tasted the unmasked Najib in his continues effort to stay in power. We have just seen the No 1 Malaysian in action. Those who have seen Najib in action in TPCA in 1987 with his infamous “soak the keris in chinese blood” will remember what he is capable of doing. Today he is flanked by a Home Minister who is also known for his love for the keris. Are we hoping for this generation of UMNO leaders to repeal the ISA and bring reforms?

The maneuver in avoiding for a state election in Perak and the hesitant of fielding a candidate in Penanti are clear signs that Najib and BN will not try to seek any mandate from the rakyat. When a ruling Government has no faith in the rakyat, then they will have no choice but to use the machinery of the State - the police, army, the courts, the election Commission to its total and bias objectives.

BN’s power politics had always revolved around three factors - Money politics and the support of the capitalist class, the use of state machinery to crush political enemies and the issue of race and religious issues to create disunity. Today we see that some of these elements are withering away. The unity within BN is crumbling every time the race card is used (back fire) and the capitalist class has no loyalty per-se and will support any Government which is pro-business and free market orientated as we can see in the Pakatan controlled State Government. That means Najib will have to fully utilize the State Machinery to clinch to power.

The rakyat surprised both the opposition and the ruling party in the last elections. Today the people are faced by another kind of scenario when the ruling party is not interested in Elections. We may have to fight the future battles not in the ballot paper any more. It is therefore important to built multi ethnic peoples power; based on equality, human rights and fairness to fight the oppression and the undemocratic on-slaughter facing all of us.

It is only by building a truly multi ethnic peoples power from below, from the grassroots can we attempt the challenge the more than fifty years of tyranny and experience of the ruling elites. The biggest challenge for Pakatan is not only the BN but its own challenge to overcome racial and religious politics and serve the people irrespective of race and religion, fairly and equally.

Today we see a power struggle in the state of Perak. The might of the people are in its numbers. PSM stand together with the rakyat for real reforms. We seek a new system of governance. We call upon the rakyat to wear black and create the black wave for now. We have to take more drastic steps in the future.

Released by:

S. Arutchelvan
Secretary General
Telephone: 019-2537791

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