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Refrain from resorting to armed forces, says Bar Council
The Bar Council shares the concerns expressed by civil society and SUHAKAM in
relation to the Inspector–General of Police’s reported suggestion that the
authorities may resort to deploying armed forces to maintain public order,
particularly in relation to assemblies.
The Bar Council notes that there has never been any necessity to take such
measures in the past. On two recent occasions, in fact, assemblies were
conducted peaceably and without incident.
Resort to the use of armed forces to control such assemblies is unwarranted and
heavy–handed, and we call for this move to be abandoned. The threat of such
deployment is intimidating to members of the public who have shown the desired
maturity and responsibility in the conduct of such assemblies.
The public had in fact understood that this Government was moving towards
loosening the grip on assemblies. The threat of the use of the army is wholly
inconsistent with this and any process of democratisation that we are aiming
for. Recent events in the course of the week have also created much disquiet. We
call on the Prime Minister to address this disquiet.
We need to know that we live in a Malaysia that upholds fundamental freedoms and
respects the Rule of Law. We need to know that our enforcement agencies are
there to protect the public and not to instill fear in them, and that their
officers will have the courage to carry out their duties without fear or favour.
We need to know that all the organs in the administration of justice are
functioning fully and flawlessly.
We need to know that the freedoms that we believe existed do not become a
fiction.
Dato’ Ambiga Sreenevasan
President
Malaysian Bar
4 July 2008