This is getting really serious………..the army has began to train its troops for public order duties, supposedly in anticipation for a riotous Bersih rally this Saturday 9th July. Earlier, I received several calls from my retiree friends and they all express their fear for the worst should the army be deployed. They also questioned why commit the army over a situation they believe to have been crafted by the police themselves? After making a number of unwarranted arrest; unbelievably for an offence of wearing the ‘illegal’ yellow colored T shirts and on suspicion of some being communist sympathizers’, the police began to set-up road blocks in and around the city to conduct searches for more Bersih related paraphernalia. It appears to me now that the authorities are more afraid of the yellow colour; paranoid for a better word, than to safeguard and protect the constitutional rights of the people to a legal assembly demanding for an electoral reform that benefits all Malaysians.
Now, are we expecting another May 13 alike this time? While the May 13 was a race riot, this time (should a riot occur) will be markedly different. It will be a riot by Malaysians of all races, united and resolve in their demands for free and fair elections, against the authorities that are predominantly Malays. This being so, we can expect the worse, for I believe it will eventually be the pro Bersih Malays leading the charge against another fellow Malay. I dread such a scenario, and the consequences following such a riots (God forbid) will surely leave the Malays further divided and unity in tatters.
It was based on the above scenario that I believe the army SHOULD NOT be involved. The primary role of the army is clear and definitive i.e. to defend the integrity and sovereignty of the country against a foreign invader or an armed insurrection of the magnitude of the first Malayan Emergency or the communist insurgency. In the case of Bersih, I do not believe it to be anywhere close to an armed insurrection; neither can it be deemed a communist resurgence. Finding a few parangs and some home-made ‘Molotov cocktail’ cannot justify that the country is at the verge of an armed insurrection or the makings of a communist resurgence. I would term it as an act by belligerents; if indeed it was done by supporters of Bersih, and this I doubt it to be. This is where the army leadership has to be very clear as to their roles and responsibilities, and any deployment has to be fully justified and sanctioned by the highest authority of the land; in this instant the Jawatankuasa Panglima Panglima (JPP). Politicians are certainly not the authority to sanction the deployment of the army or any of the other two services of the Armed Forces. And it is important too that His Majesty the King being the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces has to be respected and consulted. And please remember too that the people are not foreign enemies of the state, but citizens of the country.
The Bersih movement as I know has since its inception being in the forefront for an electoral reform that they believe is mired in controversies. Bersih 1.0 rally that attracted thousands to the streets was for a similar purpose as Bersih 2.0, which resulted in the fall of five peninsular states to the hands of the opposition during the 2008 GE. Even Tun Dr. Mahathir conceded that the manner in which the government handles the Bersih 2.0 affair can be disastrous to the Najib regime during the up-coming GE. Tun Dr. Mahathir’s forthright statement cannot be ignored, but I see little hope in Naijb making any concession to Bersih for their demands to be heard. Taking this hard line stand against the people’s wishes this time around will lend the final blow to Najib’s administration, and to UMNO/BN 52 years of continuous rule.
My advice to Najib is to listen to the people and more importantly to the call by His Majesty the King to confer with the people in order to avoid leading this blessed country to ruins.
CRUSADE AGAINST CORRUPTION
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14 comments:
It is about time for the PAT to be with his Majesty the King.
he should not be dictated by the politicians and definitely not to be manipulated by the police.
We will see whether he is truely a Military leader. The best time testing his leadership!
You wannna bet sir? Whither the Armed Forces or we the people can depend on them?
Dear Dato',
You should know better the role of the army after so many years in the army. I think you are involved during the emergency 1969. The army must been seen always ready for any circumstances.
Now you are blamming for the tranning. After all if the incident 1969 happen and the army is not ready for the you blame the army again? So what the hacked..
I supposed yu must be wise and impartial in this issue.
Dato Sir,
Perhaps you and other sound minded retired Arm Forces heroes can band together to prevent the current Arm Forces to be drawn into this madness. Although retired I believe that your experience and wisdom is highly respected by the present military leadership. Remind them of their loyalty - to King and country, and that the country is not a segment of political elites.
It is time Najib is told to stand down. What is he trying to prove to us and the world? That he is the lord and master of Malaysia and no one especially Datuk Seri Anwar can stand in his way? How long more can the good people of Malaysia tolerate all the abuses of this present government without voicing it? Are the army and police going to shoot innocent tax paying citizens just because we speak the truth?
aiya otak gula...Dato only worried that army is used by some politikus to suppress normal unarmed civilian, he was not blaming the training, ada faham ah?
last time masa aman gua pun always trained KA, and with APC condor some more, nobody blamed the latihan lah, tapi bila nak kerah dan atas arahan siapa itulah yang jadi soalan mustahak skrang....itulah pihak atasan kena berhati-hati mah, ingatan sahaja...
Dato',
Thank you for speaking up. The Rakyat feel so helpless now.
The Armed Forces should stand resolutely to defend the nation from enemies at all times. Having said that their mandate does not include ganging up with the useless PDRM to harass, intimidate and threaten to shoot innocent rakyat who want certain long overdue changes in the way Elections are held in the country.
The organizers of BERSIH 2 just CLEAN AND FAIR ELECIONS.
The very fact the present government is dead against what BERSIH 2 stands for shows its true colours. Najib and his ministers do not want CLEAN AND FAIR elections. The want to play dirty, foul and by or crook win elections by using money politics, gerrymandering,shady postal votes, hijacking all the media and governmental organizations.
They are so paranoid of the opposition that they even see their bogeyman in BERSIH 2 even though it is organized by a non-political body.
The PDRM, especially the top officers are beyond redemption. They have collectively sold their souls to the Devil for power, position and wealth. They have become shameless and are a curse to the rakyat.
I sincerely hope the PAT do not join the PDRM and become another running dog of the present corrupted, arrogant and racist government.
Dato... nampaknya Gen. Dato Salleh Ismail dah switch on 'aircond emas' beliau dalam RTM sebentar tadi...
Dato, thank you for your wise comments. It is so comforting to know that there are still so many Malays who are wise and fair. If only our leaders are wise and fair like you, Malaysia is a wonderful place to live. Thank you.
SIR, my recent post linked to you.
I believe they were the ones that took Bersih's T-shirt and had a set up to tarnish the image of BERSIH!
YDP Agong is the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces and not the Police, kenapa askar ni bodh sangat.
As long as the Armed Forces stands with Bersih, it will be a perfect cocktail for everlasting peace and prosperity for Malaysia.
UMNO has turned renegade by defying y Agong and is 'TREASON'. Any military officer can tell you that.
Please stop this madness by removing BN from the equation of a peaceful and prosperous Malaysia.
I am heartened that our Armed Forces had honourable men like you. Pray tell me, are there such men still in our AF today?
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