Agence France-Presse, Updated: 7/10/2011
Malaysian police may have crushed a weekend protest, but analysts say the crackdown has tainted the country’s democratic credentials and could embolden the opposition ahead of elections.
A massive security lockdown on Saturday in the capital Kuala Lumpur crippled a plan by Bersih, a broad coalition of opposition parties and civil society groups, to muster 100,000 people for a rally demanding electoral reforms.
Police used tear gas and water cannon to disperse crowds in the biggest anti-government protests to hit the nation since 2007, when similar demands for reform also ended in chaos on the streets.
More than 1,600 people were arrested, including 16 children as well as prominent lawmakers, and opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim was hospitalised after being knocked down in the pandemonium.
Analysts and campaigners said the stern police action was likely to backfire on the country’s image as one of Southeast Asia’s more democratic countries.
Prime Minister Najib Razak has been cultivating an image of an emerging nation with a strong economy and an open political environment.
“I think it has tarnished Malaysia’s image and its membership in the UN Human Rights Council,” said political analyst Khoo Kay Peng.
Describing the police action as “completely overdone,” Khoo said, “It is a killer to our image as a progressive democratic country.”
Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International condemned the crackdown and the arrests and chided Malaysia for flouting international standards.
“As a current member of the UN Human Rights Council, the Malaysian government should be setting an example to other nations and promoting human rights,” said Amnesty International’s Donna Guest.
“Instead they appear to be suppressing them in the worst campaign of repression we’ve seen in the country for years.”
Yeah Kim Leng, chief economist with independent consultancy RAM Holdings, said the protest cast a negative light on Malaysia, whose economy grew 7.2 percent last year — one of the strongest in Southeast Asia.
“The greater concern is the tangible costs of increased political risk premium and heightened wariness among investors,” said Yeah.
The political opposition led by Anwar scored major gains in general elections in 2008, denying the ruling Barisan Nasional an outright two-thirds majority for the first time since 1969.
Last April, the opposition followed through with upset victories in state polls in Sarawak on Borneo island, a traditional Barisan power bastion.
The opposition, which believes it would have done even better in 2008 — potentially threatening the Barisan Nasional’s half-century rule — if voting had been more fair.
The protesters said they want to see election reforms to prevent fraud, including the use of indelible ink to prevent multiple voting, equal access to the media for all parties and the cleaning-up of electoral rolls.
“It is clear the government is intimidated by the gathering. They did not want the opposition to gain momentum from this protest,” added Khoo.
James Chin, a professor of political science at Monash University’s campus in Kuala Lumpur, said the government had overreacted and warned that “this will lead to blow-back to Najib”.
“The consequences will be felt by Najib in the coming general election. People will vote against the ruling government,” he said.
Political observers noted that the protesters were disciplined on Saturday — refraining from pelting police with rocks, looting stores or smashing windows.
Many were young adults and professionals, who are adamant about their demands for electoral reforms.
“It is clear the government is running scared. People are not afraid of being arrested,” Anwar said.
Khoo said Najib lacked political savvy in allowing police to lock down the capital and launch door-to-door searches in hotels to detain protest leaders in the lead-up to the rally on Friday night.
“There is a clamour for better governance and greater democratic principles, but sadly the government did not get the signals,” he said.
10 July, 2011 at 5:09 pm
Yes. I agree with what C.Santiago says except it is not an anti-government rally. Bersih 2.0 is all about voicing out to the current government that the “rakyat” do not condone to dirty, corrupted and underhand tactics that the government is “practicing”. The rakyat is merely using the rally as a mouthpiece to voice its dissatisfaction with the hope that the government improves.
The Home Minister should resign for all the fracas and the way the police handled the whole situation. Lies about the tear gas affair at Tung Shin Hospital by the IGP goes to show the shallowness of people in power in our beloved nation. In this era of modern communication, in a matter of minutes, news and video clips will be seen not only in Malaysia but also the world over. Mr. IGP, I honestly think you should resign together with Mr. Home Minister. No one of sound mind would tear gassed and shoot laced water into a hospital.
How can a government that is put in power by the rakyat improve its services to the rakyat if it refuses to acknowledge the voice of the rakyat. Whoever is still holding on to power in the most wrongful manner, will fall hard in the end.
I thank God for the Yang Di Pertuan Agong for listening to the rakyat through the Bersih 2.0 committee. All is not lost as long as we have such leaders like HM. We, the rakyat, loves this country and the multi ethnicity and the richness of its culture.
Syabas to the organizers of Bersih 2.0. We love you and stand with you.