Is denying and lying SOP for unapologetic Hisham?

In a rather illogical statement, Home Minister Hishammuddin Onn said that only one policeman violated the standard operating procedure in firing tear gas at the Tung Shin Hospital during the July 9 Bersih rally. And to further add insult to injury, Hishammuddin went the extra mile to state that people are merely making a ‘mountain our of a molehill.’

The Home Minister pointed out that the incident at the hospital was merely one of “six or seven” mishaps and only involved the wrongdoing of one errant police officer. “On Tung Shin, there is a spin that it is looking as though the SOP of the police is at fault. This is just one incident ... the fact they are just looking at one particular incident, relating to internal disciplinary action based on SOP, to me, is like making a mountain of a molehill.”

He confirmed that one police officer will face internal disciplinary action over the incident but added that this did not mean other participants would be absolved of blame for other incidents that occurred during the rally.

This typical response from the Home Minister is the hallmark of the Najib’s administration in dealing with its own citizens. To them, Malaysians are either for or against their administration and all those against or showing slight dissent are to be treated as criminals.

The police cleared themselves!

When allegations of police brutality against peaceful marchers first surfaced along with video and photographic evidence, the government was quick to issue denials and went to the extent of labelling the marchers as liars and misfits. All this even before a proper investigation into the allegations was made. The police force, which is under the Home Ministry, then assembled six internal teams to probe such allegations of police brutality.

Was anyone surprised when the police cleared themselves? Yes, the six internal police teams cleared their colleagues and bosses from all wrong doing. Strange that the police can investigate themselves without any lines being drawn as to whom they will report to and what the scope of their independence. It does not seem to be anything at all like an internal audit, reporting directly to an independent panel of prominent citizens.

And then, Health Minister Liow Tiong Lai ordered his own ministry probe on July 14 after a group of medical consultants wrote to the media, refuting the claims of the hospital board and the police that no tear gas canisters or water cannons were fired into the hospital grounds. Police finally admitted on July 21 that Tung Shin was hit with tear gas canisters and water cannons during the rally, but denied shooting directly into the compound.

It is clear the Home Minister must apologise to the Malaysian public for supporting and colluding in the lie of the police force by proclaiming itself innocent of all wrong doing during the July 9 rally.

But apologizing and humbling himself before the Malaysian public is not something Hishammuddin is known for. Instead, he is known for some of the most illogical statements ever made by any Malaysian minister, to the extent that many have questioned his level of intelligence.

The act of defying logic

It was Hishammuddin who stated that he did not know the business dealings of his own brother who was named in a banknote scandal involving Australia earlier this year. That's fine on a personal basis but as Home Minister, how can he claim ignorance to stories that his own brother Haris Onn Hishammudin was either linked or not linked to a company already being investigated for corrupted practices involving Malaysian banknotes by the Australian government? The probe has been going on for a while, with even Bank Negara aware of it, and furthermore, are not banknotes a security concern?

But that's the Home Minister’s reasoning and thought process for you! For him, the Bersih t-shirt is illegal because it is associated with an illegal assembly. This alone speaks volumes about his brand of logic and the government’s overall state of mind.

“The Bersih T-shirt is related to an illegal assembly, then whatever they are wearing is illegal,” Hisham told reporters in the runup to the July 9 Bersih rally for free and fair elections. Yet, the Home Minister fails to explain what laws were broken by merely wearing the yellow Bersih tee. And when he said, "whatever they are wearing", does it extend to their pants, skirts and underwear?

Contrast Hisham's Bersih reasoning with the explanation he gave in 2009, when he came to the defence of a group of demonstrators who were protesting the relocation of a Hindu temple into their housing area. The protesters, mostly Umno members, marched a few hundred metres carrying the decapitated head of a cow. In response, Hishammuddin invited the protesters to a discussion. Then, in a press conference later, Hishammuddin defended the actions of the protesters, saying that they cannot be blamed.

Hishammuddin cited several reasons why the Umno-led cow-decapitating team was let off the hook. Although the demonstration was illegal and without a government-issued permit, the protesters had limited the size of their demonstration. They had also been provoked because the Pakatan Rakyat-led state government had made a poordecision in relocating the Hindu temple. The people should also be allowed space to voice their opinions and similar incidents have happened before with pig heads hurled into mosque grounds. All these, Hisham said.

The chief breaker of the SOP

It is clear that the Home Minister is employing double standards in dealing with issues concerning national security. He allows racial and religious Umno supporters to ply their trade, while coming down hard on peaceful Malaysians who want their opinions heard.

It is illogical and irresponsible for Hisham to place blame on the citizens for the harsh and high-handed brutality shown by the police. By right, he should take the side of the people rather than the police. It is hard to imagine that out of the 11,000 police personnel deployed that day, one one would be charged for breaking the SOP. Is that extremely strange?

It is clear, that denial and lying is the SOP of the Home Minister and he too must be brought before the courts of the people and made to pay for his crimes. Don't you agree?

Malaysia Chronicle