Has the Government and ruling party become afraid?

Before Bersih 2.0 illegal assembly on July 9th, there were three flip flops on the Government side that encouraged the crowd to gather.

After the assembly, in the midst of a psy-war battle that is returning back to the Government side with embarassing exposure of lies by the Bersih and Pakatan Rakyat, the Government side flip flop again.

This time it is the police that fumbled.

Having been beaten badly in 2007 that result in poor election result in 2008, has the Government learn anything about communication, propaganda and psy-war game?

Pre-Bersih Flip Flop

Before the July 9th assembly, the Government side made three major flip flop that resulted in an encouraged crowd to defy police to come.

The first was for allowing Bersih Chairperson, Dato Ambiga audience with the DYMM Seri Paduka Baginda Yang Dipertuan Agung.

Najib was not pleased with Abdullah's interference. Despite his public denial, all parties with access and knowledge to the palace are in unison agreeing that Abdullah interfered.

However, Abdullah can only interfere when someone in the palace allowed the meeting. Words heard that there is someone in the palace that leaked a draft copy of the Agong's prior special public statement to Mustafa Ali, Secretary General of PAS.

The Agong's schedule is arranged between the palace officials via Agong's Private Secretary and Prime Minister's Department. How could Najib be displeased with Abdullah?

That could only happen if palace official refused the advise from Prime Minister's Department and took only the advise of former Prime Minister, Tun Abdullah. That should not happen.

Be it the fault of Agong's staff, or Tun Abdullah Badawi or Prime Minister's Office, this gave legitimacy and credibility to Bersih.

The second flip flop was by the Prime Minister Dato Seri Najib Tun Abdul Razak, followed by Minister for Home Affairs, Dato Seri Hishamuddin Tun Hussein, for echoing the PM's offer for a stadium assembly to Bersih.

Najib and Hishamuddin's statements before the assembly was embarassing because once gazetted as an illegal organisation, there is no law that allow a permit to be issued to Bersih. In fact, the Police Act is clearly spelled that illegal organisation will not be issued permit for assembly, including for stadium.

The third embarassment was after Ambiga and Company's audience with Agong, they claimed Agong allowed them to assemble at the Stadium.

It was only at about that time, Najib and Hishamuddin realised the legal implication and start backpeddling to explain the conditions of their offers.

Anwar Ibrahim took charge and said they insist to stage a procession to Stadium Merdeka.

Post Bersih Flip Flop

After Bersih 2.0, it comes down to the psywar to win the public's heart and mind. Bersih 2.0 were playing victim and making all sort of falsitous claims of excessive police brutality.

It is around now, when one lies after another of Bersih and Pakatan are being exposed, Election Commission made another blunder at trying to engage Bersih.

The Sinar Harian initiative only resulted in SPR Deputy Chairman being booed and heckled by the increasingly hooligan Bersih crowd.

Yet they still attempt to be civil and hope engaging this illegal organisation in a PJ organised forum will do any good. All relevant explanation were refused and rejected outright.

Never engage with hooligans. They only appreciate the stick and understand violence.

But the biggest flip flop must be by police yesterday for releasing the six Parti Sosialis Malaysia detainee.

Six PSM leaders released after 28 days in detention

The Star Saturday July 30, 2011

KUALA LUMPUR: Six Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) leaders including Sg Siput MP Dr Michael Jeyakumar have been freed unconditionally after 28 days in detention.

They were held over their alleged involvement in foreign-aided and subversive activities against the nation.

The detainees were overjoyed that they had been released while Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and other Barisan Nasional leaders welcomed the move to free them.

Najib said the police's decision to release the six, who were held since July 2 under the Emergency Ordinance, was based on their judgment and goodwill. He also said the act depicted that the country always upheld the rule of law.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said he would soon respond to allegations that the six were detained illegally and had been mistreated.

This decision to detain and now release is made by the police, who initially held the six under Emergency Ordinance for the serious offense of waging war against His Majesty The Agong.

Police Flip Flop?

Why is the police releasing them when the police public statement about the arrest of PSM members has to do with subversion?

Perhaps, the motive of reviving communist ideology may not be quite believable in this day and age. But, serious and thorough investigation should not have a problem in revealing that PSM have been indulging in serious subversion activites.

By subversion, it means there were serious activities organised by PSM members to incite a peoples' revolution as depicted by the symbol of fist and spirit of Chin Peng, Abdullah CD, Suriani and Rashid Maidin on the paraphenalia found on the upheld bus. It is believed that the PSM bus did not have any form of Bersih paraphenalia.

A speedy, thorough investigation and search of PSM office would have uncovered information and evidences of such subversive activities. Did the boys in blue took their jobs seriously?

It is ridiculous for the boys in blue to release the 6 PSM members on merely the "hunger strike" threat by Dr Jeyakumar. His hunger strike hardly come close to fasting of any Muslim children. He was consuming water and is no threat on his health.

According to blogger Sanggah Tok Janggut here, his suspicion is that the police and Attorney General seemed to be bowing to the sentiment and succumbing to defeat to the psy-war of the these minorities instead of seriously enforcing the law and putting the books on offenders.

By releasing the six detainees, it implies there will be no charges against them and that is hard to believe.

As it is, the opposition are having a field day with this release. They can be seen appearing in defiance to receive the detainees by wearing the banned paraphenelia with communist names bandied openly and in yellow Bersih T Shirt.

Politicians, including Anwar Ibrahim are claiming in press conference and Twitters that BN, Government and police are too afraid to do anything against what they claims as "rakyat".

With so many flip flops and in consistences by politicians, Government and now police, the relevent question to ask is: Are BN, Government and police afraid?

If the Government and ruling party become afraid and seen to be weak, they will erode confidence amongst fence seater. UMNO and BN better be serious in their politics if they wish to remain in power.

A weak and indecisive leader that is not taking charge and only pander to every whimsical demand will not win the confidence of the people.

- Another Brick in the Wall