Media statement by Chong Eng in Bukit Mertajam on Friday, 5^th November 2010:

Malaysians condemn political violence of Tanjong Karang UMNO members

Malaysians are aghast with the latest incident of political violence in our country where Sekinchan state assemblyman Sdr Ng Suee Lim was attacked by UMNO members while he was doing his duty as a people's representative.

Malaysia is a country ruled by law, not by brute force. No one and definitely not those from the ruling party UMNO should act in violence especially against political opposition. Sdr Ng was invited as a wakil rakyat to visit some farmers at Tanjong Karang afflicted with problems. The people, especially the oppressed farmers have rights to seek redress from any leaders they want, from any political party they desire. UMNO should not take the laws into their own hands and prevent our wakil rakyat from executing their duties.

If UMNO members can be so arrogant and beat up a YB and wakil rakyat, ordinary people will have no security from UMNO's hegemony and abuse of power.

I fully support Sdr Ng to continue to serve the people and hope he will not be affected by the unruly behavior of UMNO members. At the same time, I call;

1. for an immediate and thorough investigation on the perpetrators allegedly from UMNO Tanjong Karang who attacked Sdr Ng and his entourage. We also call an investigation to be done on the police officers who allegedly stood by without intervening. The duty of the police is to ensure law and order and to protect the people, but if it is true there are police officers nearby and did nothing, then they should be subjected to disciplinary actions,

2. on UMNO President and Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak to denounce the actions of his party members and to guarantee that such incident will not happen again.

3. on all Barisan Nasional component parties to condemn the actions of those UMNO members involved in the attack of Sdr Ng. Everyone should make a stance against political violence and support a civilized, ethical and rational politics.

4. and, finally I call on Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Noh Omar, to be sacked for his gangster-like behavior in this incident. His comment that Tanjong Karang is his area is not only unbecoming of a Minister but he was seen as endorsing the act of political violence against a fellow wakil rakyat who is executing his duty. He is also acting like a gang leader by claiming territorial power. I would like to remind Noh Omar that Tanjong Karang does not belong to him, even though he is the Member of Parliament. We are only caretakers of democracy and representatives of the people, and are not little emperors of our respective constituencies.

* Chong Eng, DAP Deputy Secretary General, DAP Wanita Chairperson & MP for Bukit Mertajam