When “contact tracing” activists and “frogs” become essential services
THE recipe for survival for any embattled ruling party to stay in power is the same – persuasion or force. If persuasion doesn’t work, then force is used to deal with dissent.
We have seen it during the ‘reformasi’ era, how former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad used (or misused) the Internal Security Act (ISA) and public institutions to stifle opposition to his rule.
We have also seen how former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak use the Sedition Act to deal with dissent during his administration. Now, it seems that the Perikatan Nasional (Perikatan) Government using the same tactics to suppress dissent.
However, the Government went up another level in its quest to retain power this time!
For example, it is normal for the police to call up participants or organisers of public rallies to record statements under Section 112 of the Criminal Procedure Code.
However, it is unusual for members of the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) and Malaysia Bar, who monitor such public assemblies, being called to record their statements as well.
It is also abnormal for the police to go and check the participants’ homes if the addresses given during police interview under Section 112 is genuine. This is definitely something new from our police.
Post the ‘Kita Lawan’ assembly, the Dang Wangi district police headquarters recorded statements of organisers and participants. Then an additional instruction supposedly came from the Kuala Lumpur Contingent –crime division, where policemen were told to verify the addresses of the participants.
Three to four policemen were sent to track down the houses of participants to check if they stayed in the addresses given.
It is funny that while we have serious problems in doing contact tracing for COVID-19 close contacts, the Government seems to have enough resources to do “contact tracing” for those involved in a peaceful demonstration.
ROS joins the foray
Furthermore, at the height on the pandemic, our Registrar of Societies (ROS) suddenly has an issue with Umno postponing its party polls.
Bear in mind that this is the same ROS which instructed PKR to postpone its virtual congress in June, saying it is a “non-essential social activity”, as per the National Security Council’s (NSC) guideline.
Can someone please explain to us why ROS decided against PKR’s virtual congress but now says that Umno’s decision to postpone its party polls was invalid? All of the sudden, Umno’s election has become an “essential activity” for the ROS despite COVID-19 cases skyrocketing across the country.
ROS itself, on July 19, stated that it had no issues with Umno postponing its party polls. Well, you do not need to be a rocket scientist to figure this one out. Old timers would remember how Mahathir’s Umno Baru was allowed to register swiftly, while his rivals failed to establish Umno Malaysia.
Anyway, the Government will be extra “busy” in the next month. The police will be busy “contact tracing” activists while others will have their hands full “contact tracing” potential “frogs”. Perhaps, this is why the Government will only table a confidence vote in Parliament next month.
As for the rakyat, they can only watch helplessly as COVID-19 cases and deaths increase by the day.
It is times like these that one hopes Malaysia has strong and independent public institutions that could focus on performing their duties and address the people’s needs.
Until that time comes, all essential services will be in the backseat, witnessing a power struggle. – Aug 7, 2021
S Arutchelvan is the deputy chairperson of Parti Sosialis Malaysia.
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