‘No room for politics that stage demonstration’

Posted on January 13, 2013, Sunday

SIBU: There is no room for politics that takes to the street and staging demonstrations as it does not augur well for the country’s prevailing peace, political stability and economic prosperity.

State BN secretary-general Datuk Dr Stephen Rundi, in pointing this out yesterday, urged all peace loving Malaysians to steer clear of desperados and those who practise the politic of hatred merely for personal vengeance.

“I don’t agree with that trend of politic as we have law and order as well as proven systems to safeguard the nation and its sovereignty. We have full confidence in the system which also protects the opposition.

“Hence, going to the street and staging demonstrations will only cause chaos and disorder, or even worse, ruin our harmony and the future of our beloved country, especially our economy, deterring foreign investors from coming to Malaysia.

“There is always a legal venue for discussions and negotiations to settle any misunderstandings or differences to avoid complications,” Dr Rundi, who is also Assistant Minister of Public Utilities (Electricity and Telecommunications), told thesundaypost.

He was asked his views on the so-called ‘Himpunan Kebangkitan Rakyat’ (People Uprising Rally) held in Kuala Lumpur yesterday and whether such rally would set a negative precedent for the younger generation.

PBB supreme council member Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, meanwhile, questioned the objective of such rally.

“What really does ‘Himpunan Kebangkitan Rakyat’ wants to achieve? How different is this from the many other rallies, demonstrations or gatherings that Pakatan Rakyat or their NGOs have been organising the last few years?”

Abdul Karim, who is also Asajaya assemblyman and Assistant Minister of Youth Development, added, “All these rallies or whatever name they called it, have political agendas, that is, to arouse the feeling of the people to hate the government.

“They are mostly linked to the opposition and that being so, are mostly political in nature though the organisers would always try to sever themselves from that.

“What these organisers of rallies are doing is to adopt a new culture, that is, to go to the street whenever you are displeased about anything that the government is doing.”

He lamented this was an unhealthy culture they were trying to propagate and alien to our eastern values where problem were resolved by compromise consensus.

Street rallies had more negative than positive effects, he cautioned.

“Without proper control, a rally could lead to chaos and disruption to traffic and business, which is bad, especially to the economy and stability of the nation,” warned Abdul Karim.