(Petaling Jaya, Thursday): At about 4.45 p.m. today, the Ipoh
police conducted an one-hour raid of the
Perak DAP State premises with
a 20-strong contingent headed by ASP Roslan and armed with a search
warrant, took away some 5,000 copies of the “No to 911, No to 929, Yes to
1957” pamphlet.
This afternoon, UMNO Youth lodged a
police report in Ipoh against the DAP’s “No to 911, No to 929, Yes to
1957” pamphlets.
I had phoned the Perak Chief Police
Officer, Datuk Amiruddin, protesting against the police raid and crossing an
important line where the police stay above party political fray, and do not
allow themselves to be made used of by ruling political parties against the
Opposition – as in raiding party offices and premises unless grave crimes are
involved, which clearly is not the case here.
Would the police immediately raid the
UMNO headquarters and state premises if the DAP lodges police reports against
them?
I had earlier tried to contact the
Inspector-General of Police, Tan Sri Norian Mai, but was told that he is
overseas. I was also unable to
contact the Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad
Badawi, as he is said to be in Sabah.
The police should cherish
its good name and reputation as “black
eyes” like the unprecedented raid of opposition party premises with an
excessive show of force will only feed the national and international scandal
about the lack of professionalism of the Malaysian police.
I do not know where the
IGP has gone to, but in the era of IT, he should know immediately what is
happening in Ipoh, and I call on him to stop the Ipoh police
from going overboard in the abuse of their police powers.
Similarly, I call on the Prime
Minister, Datuk Seri Dr. Mahathir Mohamad and the Deputy Prime Minister, Datuk
Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, the former from
Rome, to put a stop to the Ipoh police abuse of powers.
The outrageous police raid of the Perak
DAP premises will not deter me from continuing with my programme to take part in
the launch of the “No to 911, No to 929, Yes to 1957” campaign at the
Menglembu market in Ipoh tomorrow at 8.30 a.m. to distribute the campaign
pamphlets.
(6/6/2002)