Pak Samad fears sowing of the seeds of emergency before next polls

National laureate Datuk A Samad Said says Putrajaya's clampdown on dissent and seemingly over-reliance on Malay support may lead Malaysia towards a chaotic situation. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Najjua Zulkefli, September 19, 2015.

National laureate Datuk A Samad Said today said Putrajaya's clampdown on dissent and seemingly over reliance on the Malay support may lead Malaysia towards a chaotic situation.

The DAP member said that he envisioned the government trying to plant the seeds of a state of emergency before the next general elections.

"I predict there might be a state of emergency before the next GE. If not, if the government remains weak after the next GE, then it might happen after the elections," said Samad, who is affectionately known as Pak Samad, after launching a book called "Young and Malay" at Gerakbudaya today.

He said that the current practice is unhealthy and also said that Umno and Barisan Nasional will fail to get any non-Malay support after the recent events.

"They are defending the interests of the Malays. It's not a bad thing, but it's as though they forget Malaysia is not a country for the Malays alone," he said.

On September 16, the National Silat Federation (Pesaka) organised a red shirt rally to uphold Malay dignity and also to counter the Bersih 4 rally, which demanded for the resignation of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

Najib, who has been facing increasing pressure to resign after RM2.6 billon was found deposited in his private accounts in a local bank, had in recent months removed the attorney general and deputy prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin over criticisms aimed at him.

Scores of activists and government critics were also arrested in recent months under the Sedition Act and also Section 124 of the Penal Code, which entails activities detrimental to parliamentary democracy.

Yesterday, sacked Umno member Datuk Khairuddin Abu Haasan, who lodged a police report against 1MDB, was also arrested under Section 124 and was remanded for six days.

- TMI