Gerakan Reformasi Press Statement We strongly condemn the brutality of some policemen against fellow Malaysians who held a peaceful demonstration last weekend. They beat up protestors and shot tear gas into the compound of the Kampung Baru Mosque and the surrounding residential areas. However, the real villains were Mahathir Mohamad as Home Affairs Minister and Abdul Rahim Nor, the Inspector-General of Police. The police would not have acted violently if Mahathir and Rahim Nor had not ordered them to do so. Certainly, Mahathir has gone doddery. He will never take the blame whenever something goes wrong. For last weekend's violence, for instance, he has blamed the protestors although it was started by policemen following his orders. Mahathir's action against the protestors is no different from that of the Isreali regime against the Palestinians. Nay, he is worse because his cruelty is directed at his own people. Mahathir has to realise that the people will continue to oppose all forms of injustice, oppression and terrorism. The people's determination to establish truth, justice and freedom cannot be broken by brutality and terrorism. We repeat our call on Mahathir to resign with dignity before it is too late. The Reform Movement is a people's movement and the tide of reform cannot be held back by batons, tear gas or water cannon. Mahathir has lost the people's support. In order to keep his grip on power, he has turned Malaysia into a police state. His legitimacy as Prime Minister and Home Affairs Minister is gone. Therefore, his directive to the police to terrorise the people is invalid and must be disobeyed. Mahathir has persistently abused government institutions such as the police, the Attorney-General's Chambers and the judiciary to further his cruelty. He plotted an elaborate political conspiracy involving those institutions to disgrace and then imprison Anwar Ibrahim. The trial of Anwar Ibrahim is a theatrical performance for which Mahathir is both playwright and director. How the play will end is already known to the people. In fact, it is a story known not only to Malaysians, but all the peoples and leaders of ASEAN. That is why various pro-Anwar organisations in ASEAN as well as ASEAN leaders have openly criticised Mahathir. Mahathir is caught in a trap of his own making. UMNO dan Barisan Nasional leaders should realise that Mahathir's days are numbered. They must act before it is too late. They must think of a formula for ending Mahathir's rule and opening a new chapter in Malaysian history. Mohd Ezam Mohamad Noor Dr Abdul Rahim Md Ghouse Saifuddin Nasution Ismail |
