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Arrest of Wong Chin Huat under sedition act signals Najib government’s crackdown on free speech
SUARAM (Suara Rakyat Malaysia) Press Statement - May 6, 2009
SUARAM strongly condemns the arbitrary arrest of Wong Chin Huat, an academic and activist of polls reform group, the Coalition for Free and Fair Elections (BERSIH), by the police yesterday (5 May 2009), under Section 4(1) of the Sedition Act.
Wong is believed to be arrested in connection to a press conference held in the morning of 5 May 2009, where he urged all Malaysians to wear black in protest of the Barisan Nasional (BN)’s takeover of the Perak state government from Pakatan Rakyat, a move seen by many as unconstitutional.
Wong’s arrest is a serious case of abuse of power by the government and the police. Picked up by the police at about 8pm at his house in Seri Sentosa, Kuala Lumpur and eventually brought to the Commercial Crimes Investigation Department (CCID) at Bukit Perdana, where Wong was denied any access to lawyers – a grave violation of the basic right of detainees. In addition, at around 12.15am, just as lawyers were told they could meet Wong, two police vehicles transported Wong to an undisclosed location. Wong was only allowed access to lawyers when he was produced in court today (6 May 2009) where he was remanded by the Magistrate’s Court for one day.
The arrest of Wong plainly illustrates the fact that the pledge for greater respect for human rights, the release of 13 Internal Security Act (ISA) detainees, and the call for “One Malaysia” by Prime Minister Najib Razak remain merely rhetoric. Malaysia, in fact, is sliding more and more towards authoritarianism.
On 8 April 2008, Prime Minister Najib Razak was quoted by the New Straits Times as saying, “If government leaders cannot be criticised at all, we will feel that we are invincible. The feeling of invincibility is something not good because we may abuse our power or we may be arrogant in terms of our position.”
However, contrary to what Najib had said, Wong’s arrest shows that leaders, in reality, cannot be criticised. It also demonstrates the arrogance of the current government and its willingness to use repressive laws like the Sedition Act at its convenience.
The arrest exposes the true characteristic of the Najib Razak government, which is repressive and intolerant towards dissenting views – a feature long associated with the BN government, which was overwhelmingly rejected by the Malaysian people in the March 8th 2008 General Election and the several by-elections which followed.
The hypocrisy of the government is hardly surprising, considering that previous successive BN governments had done the same. However, the fact that this hypocrisy, manifested in its highest form, is so clearly and quickly demonstrated, only goes to show the determination of the new Prime Minister in quashing all forms of dissent and criticisms directed towards the government.
SUARAM strongly deplores this highest form of hypocrisy of the Najib administration.
Let us be warned about the implications of this serious act of abuse of power by the government. That Wong was arrested for holding and expressing his views and opinions which are critical towards the government proves to us that none of us are exempted from the tough repression of the current government. We, Malaysians, are under siege from our own government. This has to stop now.
SUARAM calls on all Malaysians to rise up in defence of Wong Chin Huat and our rights from being sieged by a repressive government.
SUARAM strongly demands that Wong Chin Huat be released immediately and unconditionally. We challenge the government to keep its words to uphold human rights and civil liberties, as articulated by the Prime Minister himself less than one month ago. In line with the government’s pledge to review the draconian ISA, we strongly call for the abolition of all repressive laws in the country, including the Sedition Act.
Released by, John Liu
Coordinator
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