Tuesday July 8, 2008
Syed Hamid: Demos only cause disorder
KUALA LUMPUR: The Opposition should consider public interest before threatening to resort to street demonstrations as a means to convey their displeasure to the Government.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar said holding street demonstrations would only cause public disorder and security fears among Malaysians.
»Please don’t complain if the police take action against anything illegal« DATUK SERI SYED HAMID ALBAR “Street demonstrations are not the way of the country. The Opposition should put public interest way ahead of everything else.
“Street demonstrations are not the answer to everything and this is certainly not the way to channel their wishes to the Government,” he told reporters after meeting with representatives from the Bangladeshi High Commission at the Parliament lobby here yesterday.
“The Opposition should not threaten the Government like this. The elections are over. The Government has to focus on its work and likewise, the Opposition should concentrate on providing a check and balance,” Syed Hamid pointed out.
The minister was commenting on a statement by PAS treasurer and Sunday's anti-fuel hike rally organiser Dr Hatta Ramli that if the Government failed to take heed of their message, the Opposition would “bring the demonstrations and protests to the streets.”
“Please don’t complain if the police take action against anything illegal,” Syed Hamid said in commenting on the behaviour of singer Alak of the rock band Carburetor Dung, who exposed his behind while performing at the rally organised by the Coalition Against the Fuel Price Hike (Protes) at the Kelana Jaya Stadium in Petaling Jaya.
Syed Hamid also described a recent meeting he had with the three Hindraf detainees under the Internal Security Act as “warm and friendly”.
“During the meeting, all of them expressed the desire to be freed,” he said, adding that another detainee, P. Uthayakumar, was not present.
On private investigator P. Balasubramaniam, who “disappeared” after retracting his statutory declaration, Syed Hamid said that he was not aware if the PI had gone overseas.
“He must be safe somewhere. I have not gone into details of the police probe into this case,” he said.
He said the ministry was ready to offer protection for Balasubramaniam so he could cooperate with the police.
He said he also denied that he had called Opposition de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim an “American spy”, saying that he merely called him a “snitch” for reporting to the US government and embassy, which had earlier issued a statement warning Malaysia against “politically motivated” prosecution.
“Malaysia is not a colony. We are doing what is only right under the law. Anwar should not be issuing threats against the Government.”
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