Punish all, not just pro-democracy activists, PKR demands

Dr Wan Azizah speaks at the launch of PKR’s ‘Merdeka Rakyat’ mobile stage in Petaling Jaya on September 7, 2012. — Picture by Choo Choy May

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 7 — PKR today demanded equal punishment on all those who have stomped on photographs of political leaders and activists regardless of their political leanings, accusing the authorities of using selective prosecution to quell dissent against the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN).

Party president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail pointed out that similarly unruly acts committed in the past by Umno or pro-BN activists against Pakatan Rakyat (PR) leaders like Lim Guan Eng had not resulted in any probe by the police.

But she noted that several youths found guilty of stomping on or mooning over pictures of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, his wife and Election Commission (EC) chairman Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof during last week’s pro-democracy gathering are currently facing the full extent of the law for their actions.

“It is selective prosecution. If you want to take action, take action against all those who have committed similarly offensive acts... take equal action against all.

“If the act was committed against Lim Guan Eng, take action, if against the PM, take action, if against (PAS spiritual adviser Datuk) Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat, take action... then it is fair,” she told reporters at the launch of PKR’s “Merdeka Rakyat” mobile stage here.

A 19-year-old student, who was caught on camera exposing his bottom and stomping on the photographs of Najib and his wife, has reportedly been expelled from college — the Cheras-based Cybernetics International College of Technology — for insulting a national leader.

The police had earlier arrested the boy, as well as a number of other teenagers, for stomping on the photographs, in what opposition politicians have described as an over-reaction to the exuberance of young activists.

Similar offensive acts committed by pro-BN activists have gone unpunished in the past, including the performance of butt exercises by a group of army veterans at the home of Bersih 2.0 co-chairman Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan.

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