Musa’s ‘Arab Spring’ prediction will frighten voters, says Pakatan
Syed Jaymal Zahiid and Nomy Nozwir, The Malaysian Insider
Tan Sri Musa Hasan’s prediction of an “Arab Spring” here after Election 2013 will intimidate Malaysians from voting freely, Pakatan Rakyat (PR) said today, urging the ex-top cop to trust that all parties would respect the democratic process.
National news agency Bernama quoted the former Inspector-General of Police yesterday as saying losers in the coming national polls would create chaos like the uprising in the Middle East to topple the elected government.
“As a former IGP he should stop making speculation like this. It is not giving confidence to the people to vote freely in the next election.
“His statement is not going the help anything. He should put more trust in the people’s choice,” DAP central executive committee member Anthony Loke told The Malaysian Insider.
Bernama also quoted Musa as saying the police should start gathering information to prevent this “Arab Spring”, the term used to describe the violent uprisings in the Middle East, from coming to Malaysian shores.
The former IGP also lamented that the fight to curb violent coups has been hindered with the repeal of the Internal Security Act (ISA), a British-enacted law that allowed detention without trial. The Act was recently repealed and replaced with another security law, as a part of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s promise to widen civil liberties.
Previously, former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad claimed there was an opposition conspiracy to replicate the uprisings should PR fail to wrest Putrajaya.
He had alleged that Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had spoken openly about it in an interview with an Australian media recently.
Several leaders from the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition have also made similar allegations.
In retaliation, PR leaders said the accusations were intended to coerce voters against backing at the upcoming polls an opposition that was steadily growing in strength.
“If it’s anyone that is going to launch an ‘Arab Spring’ it’s going to be BN,” said PAS vice-president Salahuddin Ayub.
