September 4, 2012
Stoning and Daubing of PKR Campaign Bus: A Harbinger of Nasty and Violent Electoral Politics
by Terence Netto@www.malaysiakini.com
COMMENT With just under eight months to the automatic dissolution of Parliament, violent incidents have become a threat in the prelude to the 13th General Election.
Unless the perpetrators and groups that sponsor them are stopped in their tracks, they are likely to become more brazen and something more deadly than smashed windscreens and disrupted religious talks will likely occur.
Two incidents over the weekend – first, the stoning of the PKR campaign bus and its daubing with red paint in Kota Baru early Saturday morning; and second, the disruption of a homily delivered by Anwar Ibrahim at a mosque in Alor Setar at dusk on Sunday evening – have brought matters to a point that’s fraught with decision.
Either the Police have to abandon their seeming nonchalance towards acts of violence that are targeted at PKR campaign personnel and paraphernalia, or Pakatan Rakyat, especially its principal leaders, have from now on to electioneer under the watchful eyes of a security phalanx serving as buffer between provocateurs and their targets.
It’s absolutely necessary the security cordon must be composed of people of stern discipline, no less than admirable fortitude, because it appears the provocateurs, from reports of their behaviour at the mosque in Alor Setar on Sunday night, are professional agitators intent on causing disruption and clever at faulting their targets for the disturbance.
Violence has been raising its ugly head in the long run-up to GE13. Earlier this year, violent incidents occurred at PKR-organised gatherings in or near FELDA communities in Johor and Pahang, and also at Malay-dominant settlements in urban areas, like Kampong Kerinchi in Kuala Lumpur.
The police have been ineffectual in the invigilation of these gatherings and in the subsequent investigations after reports were lodged by people who suffered from the consequences of thuggish behaviour by hoodlums and louts.
Najib’s ‘crushed bodies’ speech
The suspicion is that these undeterred thugs are steadily raising the spectre of violence such that – should an UMNO-BN defeat in the polls appear inevitable – they will initiate a cycle of attacks and reprisals that would furnish cause for the government of Prime Minister Najib Razak to take exigent measures, including suspension of the polls.
This speculation underlies the theory based on no less the words of the Prime Minister, given vent at an
UMNO-BN gathering a year ago, that they must defend Putrajaya with their “crushed bodies” if need be.
Since that circling-the-wagons speech, violent affrays have marred some rallies organised by PKR, initially affecting gatherings over the issue of the corporatisation of FELDA.
These violent incidents then escalated to include gatherings organised by Solidarity Anak Bangsa Malaysia (SABM), an initiative of Badrul Hisham Shaharin (of ‘Chegubard’ fame), a PKR youth activist.
In all these incidents, the Police were either lackadaisical about preventive measures or indifferent in investigation. The upshot: provocateurs pick and choose the time and place for their impositions of the law of the jungle.
They are a modern version of the communist guerrillas of the 1960s who used to emerge from the shadows to strike at Malaysian security forces in their encampments while using their agents to plant the occasional explosive device in sensitive urban centres.
These hit-and-run tactics supplied the government with the justification to promulgate and impose restrictive ordinances, several of which lingered on the statute books long after the communists evanesced with the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989.
Law enforcement goes AWOL
A repressive legacy is difficult to jettison even after the basis for its promulgation in the first place has withered and waned. Right now, it appears that getting rid of that legacy is of less urgency than preventing the use of communist guerrilla tactics by their modern-day imitators.
The tactics of these guerrillas are calculated to nourish the paranoia of urban denizens, already living in fear of random violence caused by rising crime and mounting evidence of dissembling by the police when it comes to the real situation with regard to crime and their ability to cope.
Thus a climate of insidious doubt is fostered among the general population wherein guerrillas enjoy a licence to disport as they will, while law enforcement goes AWOL as genuine competitors for influence in the public square are selectively targeted and accused of being the not-so-subtle perpetuators of the enveloping malaise.
It’s an Orwellian scenario with no end in sight until the deadly virus that gnaws at the nation’s innards is drawn out lock-stock-and-barrel.
Seriously, perhaps, we can organise a band singing this song to these folks. Time to do a Gandhi. Just look at the early christian martyrdom. It overcome the Roman empire. When these folks ever learn, violence would secure victory.
To Bean & co,
Good piece Terrence. Violence is what they will resort to at the end of the day but this time, it may culminate with the wrath of the people. Once that tidal wave develops all these mosquitoes will be quashed for good
The writer wrote as though he’s so naive about PKR and the opposition form of violence as potrayed in the recent Bersih3 and more recently what transpired at Dataran Merdeka on the eve of Merdeka day…!! Anwar has no business to use the mosque as a platform to spearhead his political campaign… Neither do the DAP or MCA or MIC to hold political gatherings in temples as it’s a place of worshipping.
Netto is entitled to his opinion, no matter how one-sided it may appear. In the real world of politics in Malaysia, the proxies, some are self-appointed, of both sides are at times extreme in their expressions and violent in actions. The only trouble is that the enforcement authorities do not appear to be firm and even-handed in dealing with the situations although they might think that they do so.
Recently in South Africa the government used an old apartheid law to prosecute miners who went on strike which resulted in opeh fire by the police.The reason for the prosecution of the miners – they held a demonstration which looked like was going to be violent and the police had to open fire and kill 30 people.The logic of the argument by the prosecutors office was that the demonstrators were responsible for the violence and the subsequent use of fire arms by the police. Rings a bell?
Whenever a Net-O’s piece comes up, I shall play a song. Yes, looes74, it has been so many years since Elvis left the building and yet his memory lives on.
Ted Kennedy now belongs to the ages but his words echo in all of us. A flame may be extinguished as one day it will have to but the dream lives on.
“The work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives, and the dream shall never die” — Ted Kennedy
Assallammuallaikum, I had just watched my most-hated TV programme – TV3 Bulletin Utama”. I have 2 questions 1) Does Malaysia have the Les majeste law like in Thailand? and only be used against BUMNO’s opponent 2) Why is the Johore-boy to be prosecuted under Shariah law? Please let us vote out these stupid BUMNO goons. Apologies for my strong words
The work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives, and the dream shall never die” — Ted Kennedy
In the original draft, one of Ted’s had the word “wet” included in that sentence. Ted thought that was politically incorrect.
Also, Ted changed his speechwriter’s earlier word “intercourse”, to “cause”.
His speechwriter thought Ted will be giving his speech at Hugh Hefner’s 20th Anniversary of Playboy Club’s Dinner function.
Anwar has no business to use the mosque as a platform to spearhead his political campaign…- Sonny Selvarajoo
Hey Sonny thamby,
That still does not justify those pro UMNO and Perkasa MUSLIM thugs to storm the mosque , using vulgar and derogatory words and throwing a shoe.
These chaps definitely learnt a thing or two from the MIC Indians when it comes to violence. generally Malays are gentle, adat-lembut people. These thugs must have learnt these bad behaviour from the Indians and Chinese.
Don’t be a smart- ass.
Just look at the early christian martyrdom-looes74
Yeah… Later they all turn into murderers in the name of God ie crusades, Spanish Inquisition, Burning innocent women alive because they thought they were witches, and torturing victims for heresy.
…it has been so many years since Elvis left the building – Mr Bean
What???
I definitely saw him at Gloria Jeans in Bungsar last Sunday.
Please let us vote out these stupid BUMNO goons. Apologies for my strong words- Crtique
Apologies? Where did you learn your manners? Those are considered polite words under the circumstances in my book.
I thought ol’ frank had kicked the bucket and left Hyacinth Goddard sleeping alone in her raincoat. I thought wrong. But then lots are kicking the buckets these days. Buckets are in short supply.
But then with Mitt Romney occupying the Oval Office supply side economics may be about to make a return. Lots of buckets are on the way.
Mr Bean, I listened to the commentaries on CNN and Fox News on the DMC Convention.
Why are the Israel apologists including Pier Morgan and the rest of the American talk show hosts making such a blooming fuss because the Democrats did not put in its election platform that Jerusalem is not the eternal capital Israel.
Why is Israel, a tin pot nation which Americans allowed its nuclear technology to be “stolen” by the American Jewish scientists and have the nuclear bombs built in Israel, be such an importance. Without America, Israeli is NOTHING. And there are less than 5 % of population in American who are Jews.
Looks like Americans need Israel so it can exist as a superpower!!!!
And why is God so important to America that it became an issue when the Democrats said nothing about God.
I think the Americans are a bunch of weird nuts. If God is so important, how come He allowed Hurrican Isaac, tornadoes, Katrina, cyclones and hurricanes, forest fires to cause so much problems ?
Americans should turn to Allah instead. See, Saudi Arabia is protected by Allah from cyclones, hurricanes, and tornadoes.
Perhaps Mitt Romney might be the answerAmerica needs… As President he should replace Jesus Christ with Joseph Smith in all the churches and make polygamy legal and criminalise practice of other christian cult followers such as Catholics, Methodists, and Baptists. Future President should now swear on the Mormon Bible.
Assallammuallaikum, Frank, then May Allah Bless you and of course all of us. Leaving under BN rule is like hell (I think that is how hell is – sorry never been there and hope never to end up there)