blogtunm.blogspot.com Tun M
1. The rule of law is an integral part of democracy. Malaysia today is no longer a democracy. Therefore we cannot see the rule of law being upheld.
2. Laws are meant to protect the citizens. What we see in Malaysia is laws being abused so that instead of protecting people laws are used to suppress and oppress people.
3. There is a law on official secrets. It is meant to keep secret certain documents regarding policies or decisions which the Government may or may not take at a given time in the future. If leaked, the Government’s freedom to decide would be constrained. It is not meant to hide from the public criminal acts.
4. But we have seen how reports regarding 1MDB and the 2.6 billion Ringgit in Najib’s bank account are declared to be Government secrets. These are about criminal acts. The law is used wrongly to hide possible crimes, crimes which need to be investigated.
5. Then the law allows the police to detain and even jail a person for wrongdoings. But when a person reported that there was something wrong with the management of 1MDB money, the person reporting was detained and charged as a terrorist.
6. There are due processes to be followed when a person is to be detained by the police. But the processes were just ignored. Again the laws are not upheld. They are being abused.
7. There is no law which empower Government agencies to demand for extra payment of taxes when all due payments have already been paid. But the tax authorities threaten to carry out raids on the premises, seize account books and take away passports if the extra tax are not paid. The people are being held to ransom.
8. The extra tax demanded run into tens of millions or even hundreds. Should the taxpayers refuse to pay and decide to go to court, until the court decides the taxpayer must pay. The legal process will take years. In the mean time companies cannot do business.
9. Members of the administrative staff are constantly being ordered to do work that is not proper or legal. If they refuse they would be demoted, transferred or threatened with loss of pension.
10. Extra-legal actions are demanded of the staff. When they refuse they may face punitive action. One senior officer was forced to resign, having been declared unfit to work by the PM. This frightens other officers should they incur the displeasure of the Prime Minister.
11. This is the situation faced by the peoples of Malaysia today. The laws do not protect them anymore. The laws are not upheld. In fact the laws are abused and are used to threaten people and to hold them to ransom.
12. The people dare not speak or protest against this abuse of power. They are afraid they would be victimised further. Without the rule of law they live in fear.
13. Their only hope lies in overthrowing the BN Government in the next election. Even here they are being threatened. The law says the vote is secret. The BN is passing the rumour that they would know who is voting for whom. They threaten those who do not vote for BN.
14. But the voters should disregard this rumour. The vote is secret. The BN Government will not know who you are voting for. So don’t be afraid. Government employees in particular should not be afraid. Don’t vote for BN. Whether they win or lose they cannot do anything to you.
15. But if you give your vote to Pakatan Harapan, when PH win we will compensate those people who had been victimised by the BN Government, both those in the Government and in the private sector.
16. So vote PH to restore the rule of law and democracy.
