Najib’s Damage Control Too Little, Too Late
Barely a day after Najib's naked show of contempt for democracy and the people of Perak in the State Legislative Assembly on Thursday, he has yesterday further insulted the intelligence of Malaysians by releasing ISA detainees and those arrested in recent days, thinking that he will be seen as the good guy.
By Jonson Chong, Communications Director of Parti Keadilan Rakyat
Who doesn't remember that the new Prime Minister himself was the one who orchestrated the cross-over of a few recalcitrant elected representatives and sparked off this political and constitutional mess in Perak?
And up to yesterday, his silence in respect of the actions of the Perak State Secretary and the police was deafening. As we all know, silence is acquiescence; that is, Najib actually condones the meddling by the State Secretary and the crackdown by the police, if not ordered it.
Alas, his decision to release the detainees, both ISA and otherwise, was too little and far too late.
Why stop at 13 detainees? Don’t the other detainees have feelings or families? Don't they deserve dignity like the rest of us? Don't they have the right to fair trials and be presumed innocent until proven guilty?
Najib's far too late because a moral crime has already been perpetrated against these people. They have already been deprived of their freedom for no good or justifiable cause. Precious moments of their lives have been robbed forever.
This may be the Prime Minister’s way of making amends but are the people supposed to be grateful for such small mercies when he has obviously shown his contempt for them and their human rights?
The specific release of the Hindraf trio also begs the question whether Najib thought now would be a convenient time to subtly avoid a by-election in Selangor.
Whatever it is, the people of Perak, no, the people of Malaysia will hold Najib Abdul Razak solely responsible for dragging our nation through the mud in the international arena; and, for grossly violating the sacred doctrine of separation of powers, thereby reducing our beloved country to a pariah state.
