Police action against citizens during Saturday's rally has jeopardized the country's reputation as a moderate democratic state, says international human rights community.
(Free Malaysia Today) - The consensus from international organisations is that the red carpet should not be rolled out for Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak when he begins his official visit to Britain today.
Najib begins his four-day official visit to the UK today, after which he is expected to be in Rome to meet with Pope Benedict XVI.
Najib has said that street protests are not the Malaysian way but the International Human Rights community are angry with him and the police force for denying Malaysians their basic rights during Saturday’s Bersih rally.
Amnesty International (AI) had even gone a step further and called for heads of states to censor Najib .
“Prime Minister Najib’s government rode roughshod over thousands of Malaysians exercising their right to peaceful protest,” said Donna Guest, deputy Asia-Pacific director at Amnesty International in a statement.
“This violent repression by the Malaysian police flies in the face of international human rights standards and cannot be allowed to continue,” she added.
“The British government shouldn’t reward this brutality by rolling out a red carpet for Malaysia’s prime minister… (British Prime Minister) David Cameron should tell prime minister Najib that these human rights violations against peaceful reform protests are unacceptable,” she said.
Amenesty International also called on the Vatican to press Najib to respect human rights when he visits the pope later this week.
AI also highlighted the many complaints of police hard-handedness during the rally. It said that the use of force by the police was “excessive, unnecessary and designed to instill fear”.
The Malaysian government however has denied this and said that it has video footages of its own to show otherwise.
The international human right watchdog also asked the Malaysian authorities to investigate claims that police failed to provide immediate assistance to Baharuddin Ahmad, the husband of PKR Setia Wangsa chief, who passed away in the vicinity of KLCC due to heart complications during the rally.
Undermining progress
The United Nations (UN) had also took Najib and the police to task for the handling of Saturday’s rally and events leading up to it.
Frank La Rue, UN special rapporteur on the right to freedom of opinion and expression, said that the Malaysian government “risks undermining democratic progress to the country” with the pre-emptive measures taken to derail the rally.
“Declaring Bersih illegal based on claims that it is trying to topple the government or it is a risk to national security and public order – in the absence of any credible evidence to substantiate such claims – is also an unnecessary restriction of civil and political rights,” La Rue added.
written by justice seeker, July 13, 2011 10:17:32
IT SHOULD BE A YELLOW CARPET.
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written by Aduh, July 13, 2011 01:23:31
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written by imanj, July 12, 2011 23:23:03
So does the Malaysian Government appreciate ROMAN for it's History? and why would they want to visit the POPE? So while they surpress the Chritians and Catholics here,they still want to visit? mmm let the Rome,it's history and people show you courtesy...
err...Mr Prime Minister..I'm sure you will see how Rome boasts it's beauty and heritage..something we don't have to show...why? cause there wasn't a need to show our true history at the same too busy destroying the little we have....!
P/S are we shopping for a new Ferrari???
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written by Concerned_Citizen, July 12, 2011 22:56:28
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written by batsman, July 12, 2011 22:05:24
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written by batsman, July 12, 2011 22:04:33
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written by merchant222, July 12, 2011 21:31:23
No Need Diplomacy! Just tell him,....... WTFs
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written by SiHangChai, July 12, 2011 20:15:51
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written by Malaysia Baru, July 12, 2011 19:40:54
Altantuya's ghost will haunt you in London !
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written by Democrats, July 12, 2011 19:32:29
Please be careful.
His religion advisors like harusani will soon request the vatican to remove the cross, statues of jesus, bible during his visit to the vatican.
Also, if you do meet him, please question him on the use of the word "allah" on the bible for our malay speaking followers, and what right does his stupid government have to stamp and desecrate your holy books.
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written by Oscar Winner, July 12, 2011 18:40:54
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written by mob1900, July 12, 2011 18:37:34
Even the Vatican should reject this Tyrant known as Najeeb Mongoliar!
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written by arazak, July 12, 2011 18:36:53
Please greet this flip-flop lying PeeM a yellow welcome.. . ., rotten yellow tomatoes, rotten yellow eggs, rotten yellow pumpkins, rotten yellow lemon, etc.! You can get the stinking rotting yellow vegetables for free at New Spitalfields Market , New Covent Garden Market , Borough Market , Union Market and of course the London Farmers' market. The stinkier the vegetables the better!
Make sure also have some yellow stinking vegetables on standby at Harrods. . ., Big Fat Mama is gonna do some lavish shopping with the peoples' money. Gave her a yellow reception too!
"Hidup, hidup. . .hidup rakyaat"!
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written by Revolution, July 12, 2011 18:15:10
Even the pope will meet Najib ...and there will be sure red carpet ...
Malaysians , dont expect too much from foreign leaders to solve your problems .. As long as Palm Oil and Oil reach the developped country , no problem for them ....
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written by eloofk, July 12, 2011 17:20:03
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UK should also ISA Najis since he attack civilians.
Maybe he will be there to spend rakyat's BILLIONS to shut up Britain too....