SUARAM seeks UK’s help to stop Pakatan crackdown
Clara Chooi, TMI
Local rights group Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM) sought intervention today from the United Kingdom with a letter urging Prime Minister David Cameron to help stop Malaysia’s crackdown on the opposition.
The letter, sent today to Cameron’s address at 10 Downing Street, asked the British PM to appeal to his Malaysian counterpart Datuk Seri Najib Razak and his Barisan Nasional-led (BN) government to stop the ongoing security dragnet that against Pakatan Rakyat (PR) leaders and their supporters.
SUARAM insisted to Cameron that those hauled in so far to face police action had not violated any criminal law in their attendance or organisation of mass rallies to protest electoral fraud.
“We call on the UK Government to show moral and political leadership to address Malaysia’s recent crackdown on Malaysian human rights activists and opposition politicians,” the group said.
Among others, SUARAM said Cameron should urge Najib to proceed with his earlier resolve to abolish the Sedition Act 1948, as well as drop all charges under the Act against activists Adam Adli, Muhammad Safwan Awang, Haris Ibrahim and Hishammuddin Rais, and politicians Chua Tian Chua and Tamrin Ghafar.
The group also urged for the abolition of the Peaceful Assembly Act, the 2011-enacted law to regulate public gatherings, and drop all charges under the Act against several politicians, including Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad and six others.
SUARAM echoed the views of civil society groups and PR leaders here that the just-concluded Election 2013 was marred by irregularities and widespread cheating, including electoral malpractices like the alleged use of phantom voters and the ineffective indelible ink.
“The UK can and must play a critical role in ensuring a close UN member, Commonwealth friend and ally like Malaysia heeds its democratic obligations and respects the rights of its citizens without resorting to widespread violence, intimidation and electoral fraud,” SUARAM said in the letter.
Immediately after the May 5 polls, PKR’s #siasatPRU13 team made a series of exposes on what it claimed was proof of polls fraud as the opposition moved to pressure Putrajaya to implement polls reform, starting with the complete overhaul of the Elections Commission (EC).
PKR strategy director Rafizi Ramli also recently revealed that all three PR parties have confirmed plans to file 41 election petitions ― three by the DAP, 20 by PKR and 18 by PAS ― before the June 12 deadline is up.
According to Rafizi, at least 30 seats should undergo a re-election due to the high probability of vote manipulation in these constituencies. PR had won 89 seats against BN’s 133 in May 5 polls.
But apart from the court petitions, PR and other civil society groups have been hosting mammoth rallies to since May 5 to push their agenda for reform, outlining three main conditions with the first being the resignation of all EC members for its failure to ensure a free and fair Election 2013.
The “Black 505” rallies as they are called, were also created as a movement of protest against PR’s claims of irregularities during the polls, which saw the ruling BN retain power despite losing the popular vote.
