Musa's comments implied a bullying, 'arrest-first-talk-later' strategy to gag Najib's critics and strike fear into the hearts of the citizenry.
Wong Choon Mei, Malaysia Chronicle
A crackdown on opposition leaders, journalists and bloggers may be in the offing in Malaysia as Prime Minister Najib Razak fights tooth and nail to suppress scandalous information implicating him and some of his family members in a high-profile murder-and-graft case.
Less than 24 hours to go before a much-anticipated press conference starts in London, the Home Ministry and police have already begun the intimidation game in Malaysia.
At the presser tagged the Bala thrilla, a private investigator P Balasubramaniam has promised to spill the beans on Najib's alleged involvement in the Altantuya Shaariibuu murder and Scorpene-submarines corruption case.
Leading the clampdown in Malaysia was Najib himself. Speaking to national news agency Bernama, the PM warned he would not tolerate stories that are concocted, lies or defamatory. "If a building or road is damaged, we can repair it, but if it is the people's thinking and values, the consequences will be bad," Najib said.
Hot on his heels was top cop, Musa Hassan, who warned any individual seen to be in collusion with fugitive blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin - whom Najib blames for instigating the press conference - could be hauled up. "We can propose to charge them for harboring criminals but it is up to the court to decide," said Musa.
But the menace in his words was unmistakable. Lawyers expressed concern as Musa's comments implied a bullying, 'arrest-first-talk-later' strategy to gag Najib's critics and strike fear into the hearts of the citizenry.
Intimidating the media and cyberspace
CID chief Bakri Zinin was next. He told Bernama that the police will be recording statements from certain politicians, editors and reporters, who had been involved in the recent slew of news articles on Raja Petra. "We will record statements from several reporters this week," said Bakri.
According to Bakri, two police reports were lodged in Petaling Jaya and Brickfields on Sunday, accusing certain people of harboring Raja Petra. The CID chief did not identify the people accused or say who lodged the police reports.
But the media controlled by Najib's Umno party has been picking on PKR coordinator Zaid Ibrahim, who is in London to launch the Friends of Pakatan Rakyat project. Zaid has made no bones about meeting Raja Petra, saying it was his personal right to choose his friends.
Nonetheless, the series of steps taken by the Malaysian authorities to protect Najib - whether coordinated or coincidental - is likely to backfire. Instead of striking fear, the ominous words that came from Najib, his cousin Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein and the Malaysian police are likely to spur even greater national and international protest.
malaysia-chronicle
07/07/10
Wong Choon Mei, Malaysia Chronicle
A crackdown on opposition leaders, journalists and bloggers may be in the offing in Malaysia as Prime Minister Najib Razak fights tooth and nail to suppress scandalous information implicating him and some of his family members in a high-profile murder-and-graft case.
Less than 24 hours to go before a much-anticipated press conference starts in London, the Home Ministry and police have already begun the intimidation game in Malaysia.
At the presser tagged the Bala thrilla, a private investigator P Balasubramaniam has promised to spill the beans on Najib's alleged involvement in the Altantuya Shaariibuu murder and Scorpene-submarines corruption case.
Leading the clampdown in Malaysia was Najib himself. Speaking to national news agency Bernama, the PM warned he would not tolerate stories that are concocted, lies or defamatory. "If a building or road is damaged, we can repair it, but if it is the people's thinking and values, the consequences will be bad," Najib said.
Hot on his heels was top cop, Musa Hassan, who warned any individual seen to be in collusion with fugitive blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin - whom Najib blames for instigating the press conference - could be hauled up. "We can propose to charge them for harboring criminals but it is up to the court to decide," said Musa.
But the menace in his words was unmistakable. Lawyers expressed concern as Musa's comments implied a bullying, 'arrest-first-talk-later' strategy to gag Najib's critics and strike fear into the hearts of the citizenry.
Intimidating the media and cyberspace
CID chief Bakri Zinin was next. He told Bernama that the police will be recording statements from certain politicians, editors and reporters, who had been involved in the recent slew of news articles on Raja Petra. "We will record statements from several reporters this week," said Bakri.
According to Bakri, two police reports were lodged in Petaling Jaya and Brickfields on Sunday, accusing certain people of harboring Raja Petra. The CID chief did not identify the people accused or say who lodged the police reports.
But the media controlled by Najib's Umno party has been picking on PKR coordinator Zaid Ibrahim, who is in London to launch the Friends of Pakatan Rakyat project. Zaid has made no bones about meeting Raja Petra, saying it was his personal right to choose his friends.
Nonetheless, the series of steps taken by the Malaysian authorities to protect Najib - whether coordinated or coincidental - is likely to backfire. Instead of striking fear, the ominous words that came from Najib, his cousin Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein and the Malaysian police are likely to spur even greater national and international protest.
malaysia-chronicle
07/07/10
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