The government's crackdown on dissent in recent weeks reflected the hardline political stance of the current Putrajaya administration, charged Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim.
The PKR chief pointed out that the police force's tough action to clampdown on peaceful gatherings, candlelight vigils, protests and even DVD screenings demonstrated the intolerant politics of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak
Condemning yesterday's police raid on DAP headquarters in Petaling Jaya, he said it reflected Barisan Nasional's fear on the emergence of Pakatan Rakyat as genuine and viable alternative government-in-waiting.
He said the DAP's office was raided merely because the party was part of Pakatan set up.
"That's the only crime DAP has committed," Anwar, the Permatang Pauh member of parliament, told some 5,000 people at a Penanti by-election rally in Berapit, Penang last night.
The Pakatan leader said the series of arrests on civilians, lawyers, human rights activists and politicians in recent weeks have testified Najib's hardline stance to clampdown on constructive dissent and criticism.
"He is playing it rough and tough. Why he is so rough? Does he have something to hide?
"This country shall be administrated according to the rule of law, not the law of Umno jungle," he told a cheering crowd.
We will not be cowed
Police raided the DAP main office in search of documents believed to be related to the arrest of 16 party activists in Ampang on Thursday night for holding a candlelight vigil.
This is the first time in DAP's 42-year history that the police have raided the party headquarters.
A furious DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng slammed the Selangor police for conducting the raid and said the security force should have better used its resources to combat rising crime rate in the state.
"We did not steal, rob or kill anyone with C4 explosives. We had only exercised our rights to express our struggle to restore democracy in Perak.
"The police raid is uncalled for," blasted a furious Lim at the same rally.
However, Lim, the Penang Chief Minister, warned the federal government that the DAP and Pakatan, and general public would not be cowed by the police intimidation.
"We will not compromise on our stance and struggle to restore democracy and hold a fresh state election in Perak.
"We will fight on," he told an applauding crowd.
The police crackdown
Since May 5, the police have made 126 arrests - starting with Bersih activist Wong Chin Huat for urging people to wear black to protest the Perak government takeover by Barisan Nasional.
In three previous vigils, police arrested 27 people, including the still-detained 16.
A fourth candlelight vigil scheduled to take place outside DAP service centre in Cheras last night was aborted after the police issued severe warnings that all participants would be arrested.
Almost 70 people including Pakatan elected representatives were detained on May 7, after gathering outside the Perak secretariat building.
Five lawyers were arrested by Brickfields police after attempting to provide legal assistance to the 15 who were nabbed during a candlelight vigil in the federal capital in support of Wong, who himself was detained under the Sedition Act.
A police team also raided and seized DVD screening the May 7 Perak assembly fiasco, audio-visual equipment, and detained a technician at a DAP dinner in Sitiawan two weeks ago.
Anwar called on Penanti voters to give PKR a massive win in the by-election to send a strong message that "the people are against hardline politics."
"Penanti by-election shall be a referendum on Najib's rough politics and Perak political impasse," he thumbed home his message.
Penanti poll will see PKR candidate Mansor Othman squaring it up against independent candidates Nai Khan Ari Nai Keow, Aminah Abdullah and Kamarul Ramizu Idris in a four-cornered fight.
Polling is on May 31.
Malaysiakini
25/05/09
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