Media statement by Lim Guan Eng in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday, 22^nd May 2012: 

UMNO must fully answer for the ugly violence in Merlimau against 2 DAP Melaka Assemblymen 

DAP strongly condemns the violent behaviour of the unruly group of 200 people who disrupted Bersih co-chairperson Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan's scheduled visit to the Pusat Asuhan Tunas Islam (Pasti) As-Solihin, at Jalan Batu Gajah in Merlimau, for tea between 5pm and 6.30pm two days ago.

A group of non-governmental organisations and political parties including Perkasa and the Jasin UMNO Wanita and Youth wings had earlier lodged a police report at the Merlimau police station to object Bersih co-chairman Datuk S. Ambiga's visit to Merlimau. Following such threats against Ambiga, she cancelled her appearance at the last minute after police advised the organisers against holding it. What's worse, the mob began pelting two DAP state assemblyman and their supporters as they began to leave the event.

According to Ayer Keroh state assemblyman Khoo Poay Tiong, he and Badar Hilir assemblyman Tey Kok Kiew were attacked on their way out. Their cars were pelted with stones and eggs, resulting in smashed windscreens, broken mirrors and punctured tyres.

The fact that the violent attack by the red-shirted mob were from the group where Perkasa and UMNO members were gathered requires UMNO to fully answer for this ugly violence in Merlimau against 2 DAP Melaka Assemblyman that was intended to threaten the safety of Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan . UMNO appears to try to explain such violence by claiming that one of the protesters was hit in an earlier accident but this was strongly denied by the DAP Assemblymen.

This incident follows the despicable acts of other pro-BN groups that harassed Datuk Ambiga by performing a "butt dance" and an illegal beef burger stall protest outside her home. Such acts constitute not only an invasion of privacy and sexual harassment, but also sheer disrespect when the protest involved the cooking of beef outside her home when she is known to be a vegetarian and a Hindu.

Now there is even an illegal pasar malam(night market) proposed by a Datuk on Thursday and Friday in front of her house. It is ridiculous that Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur can refuse permits to hold a pasar malam but yet fail to act against such organisers.

Datuk Ambiga has not committed any criminal offence. She has not injured anyone nor harmed anyone with C4 plastic explosives. Neither has she stolen any public funds to buy condos instead of rearing cows. As a former President of the Bar Council, she upholds the rule of law to ensure justice is done. And yet she is vilified in a manner as if she is a greater threat to the nation than drug dealers or child kidnappers.

Her only crime is to defy BN by being part of Bersih 3.0 that mobilized 300,000 Malaysians in the largest peaceful gathering in Malaysian history pressing for clean, free and fair elections. Because of that, she has now become a victim of vile and disgusting attacks that have now turned violent.

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