Hindraf, Police and Road Blocks

 

(Picture source: BBC) 

I was pissed off with the police last Saturday…

In the name of “stopping the Hindraf rally”, the police saw the blocking of the roads as an easy way to stop the protestors. If they have done that much nearer to the rally points, it would have been understandable but to do it miles away from the rally area and where some of us had to use the alternative roads to avoid going into KL was just blatant disrespect to public convenience.

It was not like the police was out looking for escaped convicts. How could a road block have effectively stopped people from gathering for the Hindraf’s rose rally?

There were road blocks in many places but that did not stopped the protestors from gathering in KL and “tussled” with the police in KL city centre. There was news that any buses with Indians were ushered back to police stations for details as to why they are going to KL.

Can you imagine the inconvenience caused to people in the bus – who just be going to some wedding or religion functions or were just passing by KL for other destinations?

Despite the road blocks, it did not stop the rally from proceeding, did it? Hundreds of people were involved and as expected the police hit back hard and fast. The usual reply of tear gas and water cannon were there to greet “rose holding” ordinary Malaysians.

That’s democracy Malaysian style indeed.

Who are the Hindraf protestors anyway, that prompted a “looking for convicts” road blocks around the roads leading to Parliament? It is obvious that the police have placed the wrong priority when it comes to catching “criminals”.

The police could have handled the “Rose for PM” rally in a better way – grant the rally organisers the permit (which was applied but conveniently rejected by the police) and then define how the “roses to be delivered to the PM”. That could have saved the whole deal of trouble, not only for the police and Hindraf protestors but also for other Malaysians. Then again – isn’t this is what was mentioned in the first Hindraf rally?

Didn’t the police and the government have learned anything since then, other than to continue using water cannon and tear gases against Malaysians?

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