He challenged Hishammuddin to prove that the police are not practicing double standard by cracking down on anti-Bersih groups in the same manner they have on the Bersih 2.0 supporters.
“Does he dare ban Perkasa as he has Bersih,” he asked.“Or arrest Umno senator Ezam Mohamad, and Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin just as the police arrested Sungai Siput MP Dr Michael Jeyakumar under the Emergency Ordinance (EO)?”
Lim, also the DAP secretary-general, pointed out that while the July 9 Bersih rally has been outlawed, the same rule didn’t apply to Umno and Perkasa’s “violent demonstration” in Penang last Friday.
Some 300 supporters from Umno, Perkasa and Suara Anak Anak Mamak Pulau Pinang had held a nearly three-hour noisy violent protest in the city centre against the Pakatan Rakyat state government and the Bersih 2.0 rally.
The demonstration caused massive traffic congestion and damage to private vehicles. Two members of the media were also reportedly assaulted .
“The Penang Chinese Journalists and Photographers (Pewaju) had condemned the unprovoked attacks,” said Lim. “Pewaju has questioned why the police failed to enforce the law and stop the demonstration beforehand despite knowing about it a day earlier.”
“What is shocking is the attacks took place in front of the police who were hapless, helpless and hopeless to do anything. The ineptness of the police has raised questions of their integrity, competence and credibility in protecting ordinary Malaysians.”
‘Khairy revived communism too’
Lim also questioned on why the police have been tough in clamping down on the Bersih rally which is yet to take place while displaying incompetence in halting an actual illegal rally by Umno and Perkasa.
He added that Jeyakumar and five other Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) members were unjustly arrested under the EO although the government had failed to produce any proof of them waging war against the King.
“Allegations of them spreading communism is ridiculous when Malaysia enjoys close relations with Communist countries like Cuba, China and Vietnam,” said Lim, in a statement.
“Shouldn’t Khairy then also be arrested for trying to revive communism by setting up a permanent secretariat on Oct12, 2009 to strengthen ties between BN Youth and the Communist Youth League of China (CYL)?”
“Khairy had said that the permanent secretariat would facilitate continuous bilateral programmes to promote a stronger bond between the two entities,” he added.
Lim also emphasised DAP’s support of peaceful demonstrations and its condemnation of violent ones. He warned that police’s failure to act against the Umno and Perkasa demonstration has indicated clear practices of double standard and favouritism.
“These unjust actions will only sully Malaysia’s international image and its record of not practicing what it preaches on respecting basic human rights,” he said.
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