For now, Prime minister Najib Adul Razak may breathe a sigh of relief as Malaysia has yet to see the chaos that has beset the north African and middle-eastern countries. However, all is not calm. Beneath the surface, tensions are simmering.Malaysians have seen how the Egyptians and Tunisians have effected change. Therefore, it is not a question of if, but more a question of when change will come to Malaysia.
Najib is aware that Malaysia is a member of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), a body which is responsible for strengthening the promotion and protection of human rights around the globe.
He knows full well that Malaysian leaders should respect the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) as Article 20(1) of UDHR states that everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association.
These rights are enshrined in Article 10 (1) of the federal constitution and guarantees the freedom of speech and the right to assemble peacefully.
When the Human Rights Party (HRP) decided to organise the 'Solidarity March against Racism' last Sunday, an application was filed but their permit was rejected on the eve of their march.
The initial plan was to muster at KLCC and march to the Dang Wangi police station to lodge a police report against the Form Five Malay literature textbook Interlok which portrays the Indian and Chinese communities in a negative light.
On the morning of the protest march, leaders and members of HRP were systematically rounded up in a dawn swoop and all roads into the city-centre blocked off.
Perversely, anyone who resembled an Indian had their possessions searched, their identities questioned and they, too were arrested.
Days earlier, Najib told Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi to refrain from using violence against protestors who were opposed to the rule of the Libyan dictator.
He said, “We believe that he should not use violence. What is important for us is to take into account the aspirations of people.”
Najib also believed that the Indian community did not need HRP because the government has been looking after their interests.
His deputy, Muhyiddin Yassin also called for firm police action and to ban the march.
The following day, on 28 February, Malaysian inspired marches were underway in London, England and in Ottawa, Canada. This time, Malaysians were protesting against the corrupt and cruel regime of the Chief Minister of Sarawak, Taib Mahmud.
Despite the relatively short notice given and the fact that it took place on a cold and wet Monday morning, the turn-out in London was impressive. The Malaysians who studied and worked in UK were joined by other nationalities. There was no dawn swoop or lockdown of Central London.
A policeman from the Metropolitan Police Force came for a quick chat with the organisers and left minutes later. The protestors marched from one of Taib’s properties to another of the buildings he owned.
Along the way, various members of the public voiced their support for the demonstrators and the whole event was recorded by Malaysian reporters as well as an Australian film crew and Italian media.
What these three marches serve to show is that Malaysians are capable of holding peaceful demonstrations and that it is only in Malaysia, that the leaders and its police fail to respect the peoples’ right to peaceful assembly, association and expression.
Malaysian leaders do not show any leadership. Perhaps these so-called leaders need to understand human behaviour. For example, if they treat a child like a baby, it will behave like one. If they treat a child with respect, it will behave like a respectable adult.
Banning the HRP march last Sunday has made a mockery of the UDHR principles which the Malaysian government pledged to uphold, when it assumed its seat on the UNHRC.
More importantly, when Najib warned Gaddafi to refrain from violence, he wanted to show the world that he (Najib) was a magnanimous leader.
When he failed to listen to his own words of advice and used violence to intimidate his own people, the world saw him as a hypocrite and a cruel despot. Najib is desperate to further his political ambitions and will tread on anyone in his path.






Seperti biasa, MCA menjadikan isu Negara Islam sebagai senjata serangannya, di samping jamuan, rawatan perubatan Cina percuma, ceramah feng shui, dan perkhidmatan tempatan ketika turun ke padang.
Mungkin juga PAS memilih untuk mengelakkan pertembungan sengit dengan BN yang berkempen dengan cara berpesta pada kali ini. Sebaliknya, PAS mengambil pendekatan "perang gerila", menumpukan tenaganya untuk pemilihan parti dan PRU yang akan datang.
"Laut ada pasang surut, kalau tidak, pasir tidak bersih. BN perlu ingat, tak ada kerajaan yang selama-lamanya. Libya, Tunisia dan Egypt adalah seruan Allah yang minta bangsanya berubah," kata Hadi Awang (gambar kiri), "Malam pun jadi siang. Jika bangsanya tidak berubah, alam sekitarnya akan berubah."
Seterusnya, bekas Menteri Besar Perak, Nizar Jamaluddin (gambar kanan) mengambil contoh bagaimana Mohd Ali Rustam dan Mohd Isa Samad yang terpalit dengan amalan rasuah dalam pemilihan UMNO dikekalkan sebagai Ketua Menteri Melaka dan dilantik sebagai Pengerusi FELDA.
Wartawan melawat ke bilik gerakan PAS pada hari Ahad, dan hanya satu poster didapati. "Segala-galanya masih dalam persediaan," kata pekerja di situ. Ketika wartawan membuat liputan di Ceramah Perdana Pakatan Rakyat di Merlimau Pasir pada sebelah malamnya, ceramah yang dijadualkan untuk bermula pada jam sembilan malam ditundakan sehingga jam 10 malam.
Ketika dihubungi
Dalam perbualan bersama beberapa pengundi yang lanjut usianya, mereka enggan mendedahkan nama mereka kepada wartawan. Salah seorangnya bagaimanapun meramalkan 80% warga emas akan mengundi BN, sementara PR akan meraih undi daripada 55% pengundi muda.



































