Lim slams Penang police for not banning Perkasa before someone dies

The Penang police did not act fast enough when the chief minister was harassed yesterday. Lim wonders if the same would have happpened if the prime minister had been harassed.

PETALING JAYA: Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has taken the Penang police to task for failing to provide adequate protection for him and not taking stern action against the Perkasa member who harassed him in Teluk Bahang yesterday.
Lim was brushed hard over his shoulder area by a Perkasa member yesterday while he was in the wet market complex for a ‘meet-the-people’ session.
The young man who harassed Lim had to be pushed away by some local village security and development committee (JKKK) members before Lim could be escorted to his car. Lim was uninjured but expressed shock over the incident
Earlier in the day, some 10 Perkasa members had gathered at the market to protest against Lim. They had also thrown posters at Lim just as he arrived at the market.
Lim said today that although the police were informed of the event and were present, they failed to take any quick action when the incident had occurred.
“Dragging the Perkasa member away from threatening my safety should have been the duty and responsibility of the police, not Pakatan Rakyat local leaders.
“The failure of the police to offer adequate protection was followed by the failure of the police to immediately arrest the Perkasa member involved.
“Just imagine how harsh police reaction would have been if this had involved the prime minister and not the Pakatan chief minister,” he said today.
He added that the lack of action against Malay right wing group Perkasa will only serve to embolden the group. The police, he said, should have immediately arrested the young man.
“Police should review their hands-off approach towards Perkasa to avoid public perception that they condone the violent tactics by Perkasa to intimidate Pakatan Rakyat leaders,” he said.
He said that despite a 23-percent drop in crime rate, Penang police are still heavily scrutinised as a result of “some high profile cases” at heritage sites and housing areas.
He said that the lackluster attitude by the police in the Teluk Bahang incident will not improve the public confident of the police.
“Today’s failure to even adequately protect the chief minister will not lend public confidence in the ability of the police to ensure public safety when they can not act quickly against those who threaten the safety of the chief minister,” he said.