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People reminded not to hold any form of street protests

KUALA LUMPUR, Sun.: Don’t hold any form of street protests now as the move will only stir up uneasiness among the people and harm racial unity in the country, says Information Minister Datuk Seri Zainuddin Maidin.

He said that street rallies, regardless of whatever reasons given, should not be permitted.

The Minister was responding to the Bar Council’s plan to organise a

“People’s Freedom Walk on Dec 9 in conjunction with the World Human Rights Day.

Bar Council president Ambiga Sreneevasan had said they met the police on Friday to discuss how best to organise the Human Rights Day march.

Zainuddin questioned the Bar Council’s real motive to organise the walk, which according to him was “only a front under the guise of human rights.”

“Any form of street rallies for whatever reasons should not be allowed now as they will only tarnish the nation’s image in the eyes of the international community.

“I believe the Bar Council’s intention to hold the People’s Freedom Walk is to condemn the government under the guise of human rights,” he told Bernama.

Zainnuddin said for whatever reason or excuse the Bar Council wants to hold the walk, the people knew the hidden agenda behind the move.

“Solutions cannot be found to human rights issues merely by staging street protests. Moreover, such protests will only worsen the current situation in the country,” he said.

Zainuddin said two street rallies held in Kuala Lumpur last month by two non-governmental organisations calling themselves “BERSIH” and Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) had only created adverse effects and aroused the people’s anger.

The minister also chastised an English daily for publishing reports promoting the Bar Council’s plan to organise the “People’s Freedom Walk”.

He said the daily was not bothered about racial unity in the country.

The newspaper had given details on the time to gather for the walk and also encouraged the people to bring along posters.

Comments (2)

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Thanks
written by David Soong Tshon Li, December 05, 2007

Dear MBW,

Thanks for flagging this article now. Its good be reminded by the Propoganda Minister of what the true "hidden agenda" for the cancelled walk was. I, for one, was under the misapprehension that the "real motive" was a march to the Long Bar under the guise of human rights. How bitterly would I have been deceived by that English daily with no bother for racial unity had the walk taken place.

David Soong Tshon Li

Universal Rights
written by Tan Peek Guat, December 05, 2007

How unintelligent for a man sitting on such a high ministerial portfolio to call the short Rights Walk, which, if held, 'a protest walk'. Is he guilty of any misperformance that the people should want to 'protest' at all?

He ought to, alternatively, imagine the walk as one of those walks which had taken place at Padang Merdeka for the last 50 years, reminding us of the national freedom achieved, and the joys and celebration of the nation, doing so without fear and favor, nothing but celebration in our hearts and minds!

Humans have feelings throughout the world, men or women as we are; and we share all our feelings of joys and sympathies. Universal Men and Women too, get together, in the hope of confronting beasts, unfairness and injustice in our midst. This make us grow up, and build up, as mankind. Without this building up how can we ever be a developed nation?

So, why should we not celebrate this universal Rights Celebration in the preferred manner which had been planned months ago by the Bar Council Members who ought to be acting without fear and favor?

Tan Peek Guat