Chinese: Malaysian abuse worse than Abu Ghraib

The China Daily stated that terming the nude-ear-squat punishment of a Chinese woman in a Malaysian police station as Malaysia's Abu Ghraib was far too kind to the police. It averred that the Malaysian abuse was far worse!!!

It said that, "in Abu Ghraib, the victims were alleged prisoners of war, thus the brutality there had its roots in the hostility of the battlefield. But at the Malaysian police station, the subjects of abuse were four innocent female Chinese nationals, holding valid travel documents issued by governments of both countries."

"All sensible minds cannot but be shocked by the images showing a female compatriot of ours being forced to perform ear-squats naked by a Malaysian policewoman in uniform. No excuse can justify brutality of such magnitude."

Maybe there was innate hostility?

The newspaper said that, while recognizing the decades old friendship between the governments of China and Malaysia, it feels that this relationship is not just about the state of amicability between governments. The friendship will be very much dependent upon cordial relationships between the peoples.

While it is within the powers of governments to accept or disallow tourists and other visitors from specific countries, ultimately it is up to the tourists themselves to decide where to go when they embark on overseas trips.

The Chinese reckons Malaysia has been a popular tourist destination UNTIL very recently. This change of attitude has been reflected in an approximate 48% between January and August from the same period last year. The Malaysian worse-than-Abu Ghraib abuse will ensure the continued downward trend in Chinese tourism to Malaysia.

Even though the Malaysian immigration has simplified entry procedures for Chinese tourists, the tourist lack of confidence in Malaysia has more to do with concerns of safety and human dignity.

For the trend to reverse for the better, the Chinese wants to see real credible changes, and not just talk, or just assurances from the country’s ministers which may not be supported by the country’s bureaucratic officials.

The Daily reckons the Chinese tourists will no longer risk their safety or indeed their dignity in a country that does not respect them, or assure with credibility that they won’t be abused.

It remarked pointedly that judging by the remarks of a deputy internal security minister (guess who!), whose ministry oversees the Malaysian police, the Chinese are NOT convinced that their dignity and safety can be safeguarded.

If Malaysian police officers had been ‘following regulations’, as claimed by the minister, in their abuse of Chinese women by making them strip in police station, then how can Chinese believe what the Malaysian prime minister has promised.

The newspaper sarcastically continued by questioning whether Malaysian law endorses such a practice. If it does, it remarked that the Chinese embassy in Malaysia should make it known to Chinese citizens before they step into Malaysia.

The China Daily then posed a challenge to the Malaysian foreign minister who said that there was no intention on the part of his government to victimize any Chinese national or any foreign visitor to the country. It declared “That should not only be said, but also be felt by all those visiting his country.”

Amen!