Malaysians are shocked by the statement by the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Dr. Mahathir Mohamad in Langkawi on Sunday when he criticised "law breakers and cowards" as being responsible for the riot at Kampong Baru in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday night.

Criticising them for using women and children as human shields when staging demonstrations, Mahathir said: "Don't blame the Government if children are burnt during the rioting."

This is most unbelievable, as the Prime Minister who is also the Home Minister does not seem to be acting as a restraint on the police not to use excessive force against peaceful and unarmed Malaysians who want to exercise their democratic right to peacefully gather to express their legitimate concerns, but seems to be given a licence and even blank cheque to the
police  to the extent of countenancing them  to deal with the situation in such a manner as to allow children to be harmed and even killed!

The Malaysian Police have given the country another international black eye with the use of excessive force against members of the public who gathered peacefully and democratically early last Saturday evening at Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman, Kuala Lumpur to express their concerns about the  deplorable state of justice, freedom and democracy in Malaysia - which resulted in the subsequent acts of violence in Kampong Baru.

The police can arrest those who have gathered peacefully to exercise their democratic right to express their concerns about the deplorable state of justice, freedom and democracy in Malaysia for illegal assembly, but they have no right to use excessive force or commit police brutality against the unarmed and defenceless people - unless Malaysia has become a police state.

Furthermore, the police authorities have a special duty to ensure that innocent people, in particular children, are not hurt or harmed in anyway as a result of the use of excessive force or police brutality - or they will incur the wrath of public opinion, both nationally and internationally, for their reckless actions.
 

                                                                               Lim Kit Siang