Protest crackdown taints Malaysia’s image
KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysian police may have crushed a weekend protest, but analysts say the crackdown has tainted the country’s democratic credentials and could embolden the opposition ahead of elections.
A massive security lockdown on Saturday in the capital Kuala Lumpur crippled a plan by Bersih, a broad coalition of opposition parties and civil society groups, to muster 100,000 people for a rally demanding electoral reforms.
Police used tear gas and water cannon to disperse crowds in the biggest anti-government protests to hit the nation since 2007, when similar demands for reform also ended in chaos on the streets.
More than 1,600 people were arrested, including 16 children as well as prominent lawmakers, and opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim was hospitalised after being knocked down in the pandemonium.
Analysts and campaigners said the stern police action was likely to backfire on the country’s image as one of Southeast Asia’s more democratic countries.
Prime Minister Najib Razak has been cultivating an image of an emerging nation with a strong economy and an open political environment.
“I think it has tarnished Malaysia’s image and its membership in the UN Human Rights Council,” said political analyst Khoo Kay Peng.
Describing the police action as “completely overdone,” Khoo said, “It is a killer to our image as a progressive democratic country.”
Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International condemned the crackdown and the arrests and chided Malaysia for flouting international standards.
“As a current member of the UN Human Rights Council, the Malaysian government should be setting an example to other nations and promoting human rights,” said Amnesty International’s Donna Guest.
“Instead they appear to be suppressing them in the worst campaign of repression we’ve seen in the country for years.”
Yeah Kim Leng, chief economist with independent consultancy RAM Holdings, said the protest cast a negative light on Malaysia, whose economy grew 7.2 percent last year — one of the strongest in Southeast Asia.
“The greater concern is the tangible costs of increased political risk premium and heightened wariness among investors,” said Yeah.
The political opposition led by Anwar scored major gains in general elections in 2008, denying the ruling Barisan Nasional an outright two-thirds majority for the first time since 1969.
Last April, the opposition followed through with upset victories in state polls in Sarawak on Borneo island, a traditional Barisan power bastion.
The opposition, which believes it would have done even better in 2008 — potentially threatening the Barisan Nasional’s half-century rule — if voting had been more fair.
The protesters said they want to see election reforms to prevent fraud, including the use of indelible ink to prevent multiple voting, equal access to the media for all parties and the cleaning-up of electoral rolls.
“It is clear the government is intimidated by the gathering. They did not want the opposition to gain momentum from this protest,” added Khoo.
James Chin, a professor of political science at Monash University’s campus in Kuala Lumpur, said the government had overreacted and warned that “this will lead to blow-back to Najib”.
“The consequences will be felt by Najib in the coming general election. People will vote against the ruling government,” he said.
Political observers noted that the protesters were disciplined on Saturday — refraining from pelting police with rocks, looting stores or smashing windows.
Many were young adults and professionals, who are adamant about their demands for electoral reforms.
“It is clear the government is running scared. People are not afraid of being arrested,” Anwar said.
Khoo said Najib lacked political savvy in allowing police to lock down the capital and launch door-to-door searches in hotels to detain protest leaders in the lead-up to the rally on Friday night.
“There is a clamour for better governance and greater democratic principles, but sadly the government did not get the signals,” he said.
