Unlikelihood and likelihood of a 'last-minute attack'

LETTER | We refer to the two Bernama reports made on March 22, one in the morning a statement by inspector-general of police Mohamad Fuzi Harun, and the other in the evening a statement by the defence minister.

The IGP was reported to have said that the police have identified about 1,100 individuals and organisations with potential to carry out a "last-minute surprise attack" to create chaos in the 14th general election.

He also mentioned that the police had identified 116 areas in the peninsular and 33 in Sabah and Sarawak as "hot locations" for GE14.

Later in the same day, Hishamuddin Hussein was reported as saying that the Chief of Armed Forces and the IGP constantly share information on irresponsible parties that issue threats or try to take advantage of certain situations.

The minister purportedly said if armed forces personnel are identified among those planning to create chaos during GE14, he will take action against them; and that there will be no compromise if armed forces personnel are found to be plotting last-minute attacks on the 14th general election.

Persatuan Patriot Kebangsaan (Patriot) finds the statements a bit strange. Why would anyone, any sane Malaysian want to carry out a "last-minute attack"?

What is the motive? Barring anyone under the influence of drugs and in hallucination, no sane person would want to commit a silly and outrages act of armed violence to disrupt the election. In the unlikelihood of such an incident, we have full trust in our police force to immediately clampdown and arrest the culprit. Convicted armed violence and death sentence are inseparable in our country.

Even the often-mentioned likelihood of an Islamic State attack, Patriot finds their modus operandi and motive unfitting for a "last-minute attack" to disrupt our election.

Our intelligence personnel in the police and the military, with their superb track record, would clamp down any such insidious activities. Knowing our intelligence personnel, they do not fail. Any security breach, any failure, is a plan to fail.

As for the military personnel, Patriot is absolutely certain that the officers and men are well disciplined and abide by the military law. It is unthinkable for anyone, in the military, to launch such an insane "last-minute attack", unless of course, one is insane, or temporarily insane under influence of drugs.

However, a "last-minute attack" is also likely. As the stake for losing the election is extremely high, this may come about at the eleventh hour when the projecting election results are imminent.

If there is a motive, then such motive lies with the disfavoured party of the impending election results. In the likelihood of such an incident, Patriot again trusts those in uniform, the police and the military, to stand together with the Malaysian people, to do the right thing, and not take side. -Mkini