Bersih urges government to condemn latest attack on critics

(Harakah) – Yesterday’s attack believed to be personally targeted at political analysts Ong Kian Ming has been condemned by electoral reforms coalition Bersih 2.0, which urged the authorities to investigate and identify the culprits.

“The possibility of the attack on Dr. Ong being connected with his criticisms of the government policies and practices cannot be discounted.

“Bersih 2.0 views this attack as part of the increasing trend of harassment of human rights defenders by non-state actors,” said the coalition in a statement obtained by Harakahdaily.

Ong, director of the research-based Malaysian Electoral Roll Analysis Project (Merap) whose work has been credited in exposing problems with the electoral system, said that he was “quite sure” that the attack on his house in Petaling Jaya by three men in their twenties was politically motivated.

Recalling the incident, Ong pointed out that his house was an unassuming double-storey terrace house.

“It is not a flashy house. I drive a Toyota Vios. There are other houses along the same row with Mercedes-Benz and other nicer cars. Some of my neighbours were not at home. It would have been much easier to break into their homes instead of mine (not that I am recommending that they do this). Or a house that is more secluded. Or a house which seems to have more stuff to steal,” he added.

Ong said the men, instead of being discreet, noisily broke the automatic gates before trying to kick open his front door despite knowing he was at home.

“They then left even though they could have kicked the door down. On the way out, one of them pointed his finger at me as if to give me a warning. He then used a screwdriver or some metal instrument to make a puncture in the bonnet of my car. If they had really wanted to break in even knowing that there was someone at home, they could have kicked the door down and easily overpowered me,” said Ong, who also contributes to Research for Social Advancement (Refsa), a think-tank which has been strongly critical of Barisan Nasional’s economic policies.

Bersih noted that the incident was just part of a series of harassment on activists critical of the ruling government.

“Attacks against human rights defenders must not be taken lightly. The Government must condemn and take swift action against such attacks or else its silence will be seen as condoning such attacks,” it stressed.