Media statement by Lim Guan Eng in Kuala Lumpur on Monday, 4^th July 2011: 

Does Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein dare to ban Perkasa?  

Does Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein dare to ban Perkasa as he has banned Bersih or arrest UMNO's Senator Ezam Mohamad and UMNO Youth head Khairy Jamaluddin just as the police has arrested Sungai Siput MP Dr Michael Jeyakumar Devaraj under the Emergency Ordinance to prove that the police does not practice double-standards or favouritism?

DAP questions Hishammuddin insistence that the authorities will act fairly in stopping all gatherings despite only outlawing electoral reforms group Bersih, when no action was taken against UMNO and Perkasa for organising a violent demonstration in Penang on 1.7.2011. Why has Hishamuddin also not arrested Ezam under the Emergency Ordinance for his threats that there is no need to wait for general elections and he wanted to do more protests to force me to step down as Chief Minister earlier?

The Penang Chinese Journalists and Photographers Association (Pewaju) has condemned the unprovoked attacks on a journalist, a photographer and a videographer by the protestors during violent and illegal rallies in George Town downtown and on Penang Bridge. Pewaju questioned why the police did not enforce the law and failed to take preventive measures to stop the demonstration before hand when they already knew about it a day earlier.

Question also arises on why the police have been so tough to clamp down on the Bersih 2.0 rally which is yet to take place, while being incompetent in halting an illegal rally by Umno and Perkasa that actually took place. What is shocking is Pewaju's statement that the attacks on the journalists took place right before the police eyes, but the law enforcers were hapless, helpless and hopeless to stop the assault. The ineptness of the police raised a question on their integrity, competency and credibility to protect ordinary Malaysians.

DAP supports peaceful demonstrations but condemns violent demonstrations. The failure by the police to act against the violent demonstration by UMNO and Perkasa only shows that there is clear double-standards and favouritism.

Jeyakumar was unjustly arrested under the Emergency Ordinance with 5 other PSM members despite the government's failure to produce any proof that he was waging war against the King and country. Allegations of spreading communism is ridiculous when Malaysia enjoys close relations with Communist countries like Cuba, China and Vietnam.

Should not then Khairy Jamaluddin be also arrested and charged for trying to revive communism by setting up a permanent secretariat on October 12 2009 to strengthen ties between Barisan Nasional Youth and the Communist Youth League of China (CYL). Barisan Youth chairman Khairy Jamaluddin had said that the permanent secretariat would facilitate continuous bilateral programmes to promote a stronger bond between the two entities.

Clearly the BN government is only victimising Bersih supporters who are arrested in the past week and its secretariat raided on Wednesday, when they have not organised any demonstration whilst UMNO and Perkasa demonstrations are allowed to proceed unpunished. These unjust actions will only sully Malaysia's international image and its record of not practicing what it preaches on respecting basic human rights.

*Lim Guan Eng, Penang Chief Minister, DAP Secretary General & MP for Bagan