Mat Sabu charged: Stage set for battle royale between Umno and PAS

UPDATED In a move reeking of abuse of power, Prime Minister Najib Razak's government slapped on criminal defamation charges against PAS deputy president Mat Sabu, setting the stage for a battle royale between the country's two largest Malay-based political parties.

Political watchers are already predicting an irreparable split down the line in the Malay community, which forms some 55 per cent of Malaysia's 28 million population. Splits are not uncommon as both Umno and PAS are long-time political foes, but this time, the wounds will take years to heal and Najib's Umno party is likely to end up the big loser.

"What we see is Umno going after the vote from the police force and the armed personnel, who form a very significant portion of the Malay electorate," PKR vice president Tian Chua told Malaysia Chronicle.

"This group was already becoming very frustrated because they suffer from low pay and feel the pinch of high prices. They were starting to protest and leak out information of how the BN exploited the government machinery and how they were asked to cheat with postal votes and at the ballot boxes. Now with this distraction, Umno hopes to remake itself into a hero to them."

Historical debate that ends up in criminal charges

Meanwhile, Sabu has claimed trial to charges of criminal defamation. According to the charge sheets, he had allegedly defaming the dead police personnel killed while defending themselves and their families at the Bukit Kepong police station in 1950.

Sabu was charged under Section 500 of the Penal Code and if found guilty, faces up to 2 years jail and a fine. Bail was set at RM15,000 while Butterworth Sessions Court judge Ikmal Hishan Mohd tajuddin fixed October 27 for case mention and December 5 to 9 for trial.

"This case is about the interpretation of history and should be resolved through dialogue and debate, not by the court. However, since it is a court case, we have to face it," Mat Sabu told reporters.

Umno-owned daily Utusan Malaysia had in article on August 27 accused Mat Sabu of saying the communists were the real heroes and not the police who died in the attack. Utusan referred to Sabu's speech made on August 21 and also attacked him for praising pre-Independence freedom fighter Mat Indera as a hero.

The ruckus stirred up by Utusan led to scores of angry police reports lodged against Mat Sabu. The PAS leader has already denied the news article and launched a lawsuit against Utusan. But it did not stop an Umno hell-bent on creating a tidal wave of support from the Malay community from victimizing him.

Umno may have miscalculated

It is not clear yet how much benefit Umno stands to gain, in terms of votes, from portraying itself as a champion of police nd armed forces. But it does look like Najib and team may have miscalculated the backlash from other quarters in the community, especially from the famous Malay 'middle ground' which compromises mostly the middle-class and well-educated fence-sitters.

Many Malays, who were initially perturbed at the Utusan news report, now think that Umno has overplayed its hand. They are also exasperated by the Umno overkill, which has extended into claims supported even by former premier Mahathir Mohamad that Malaya was never a colony. Such a farcical reversal of historical facts shocked the entire nation, not only the Malays.

"This prosecution is being done because Umno is disturbed by the historical truths unearthed and widely disseminated as a consequence of this controversy. Umno's longstanding pretence of having won independence from the British almost single-handed is now being vigorously debated everywhere. Mat Sabu's statement started this process," said PKR vice president N Surendran.

"As its credibility hits rock-bottom, UMNO increasingly is reliant upon its past history to justify its weakening grip on power; therefore their extreme reaction to any dispute to that version of history."

Indeed, it was not only Umno but many other leaders who had struggled bravely for self-rule and were incarcerated by the British. Some these leaders included Mat Indera, Ahmad Boestamam and Ibrahim Yaacob.

In 1947, long before Umno made any move, several mass-based groups and popular leaders had already submitted the 'People's Constitutional Proposals' to the British, but were mercilessly suppressed as the British preferred dealing with Umno, which selfishly refused to co-operate with other Malay groups.

- Malaysia Chronicle