KUALA LUMPUR, 2 April 2009: PAS saying it will ignore the police orders to political parties not to make seditious statements when campaigning for the three upcoming by-elections, shows the party lacks respect for the law, Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar said today.
Syed Hamid said the tendency of PAS to “do whatever it thinks is right and likes” could lead to instability in the country.
“We put in place rules, they (PAS) break them…when we take action they accuse us of being cruel and oppressive,” he told Bernama when asked about remarks by Perak PAS commissioner Asmuni Awi that the party would pay no heed to police instructions asking candidates and campaigners involved in the by-elections not to make seditious remarks.
On 31 March, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan issued a warning that the police would come down hard on anyone resorting to making seditious remarks while campaigning for the by-elections, irrespective of which parties they came from.
Syed Hamid had earlier been interviewed on Radio 24’s “Analysis” programme by Bernama’s Editorial Advisor Datuk Seri Azman Ujang at Wisma Bernama here.
Syed Hamid said the country was safe and peaceful because of the rule of law which the police had taken pains to maintain.
“Certain matters that are before the courts should not be made campaign material… if dissatisfied with something please lodge police reports but do not condemn the police and accuse them of being highhanded and cruel. Imagine what will happen if the police institution crumbles,” he said.
On accusations that the police practised favouritism in issuing campaign permits for the Bukit Gantang parliamentary by-election in Perak, Syed Hamid said the issuing of the permits were based on a number of criteria.
“Don’t make negative conclusions that the police are controlling who can or cannot hold ceramahs (political rallies)… the police have nothing to do with whether they are held by Barisan Nasional (BN) or opposition parties,” he said.
The two other by-elections are for the Bukit Selambau and Batang Ai state seats in Kedah and Sarawak respectively. Polling for all three by-elections is on 7 April. — Bernama
Eric says
The people who actually lack respect for the law are the ones abusing it!
Syed Hamid should realise laws are meant to be impersonal, i.e. not targeted at one person or one group of people. Unfortunately, conditions attached to permits for ceramah or demos are purely subjective and discretionary.
Everyone can see that the PDRM is acting as a BN component. Evidence? Why do you think the IPCMC is still up in the air? Any news from the Kugan case?