Today, military might is used to maintain order during the Coronavirus “curfew”; but what about tomorrow? Is Muhyiddin consolidating his power? Where’s RELA to help the PDRM?

• By Mariam Mokhtar

Why can’t both the police and RELA (People’s Volunteer Corps) work together to maintain order during the Coronavirus “curfew”? Has RELA been disbanded?

Apart from a few isolated incidents of stubborn and bored people, the police have done a good job in maintaining order during the Coronavirus curfew.

Don’t blame the people for not staying at home because the communication from Putrajaya was neither clear nor good. If Putrajaya wants people to understand quickly, then convey the message clearly, then arrest the people when they break the terms of the curfew and fine them. They will learn quickly this way.

Where is RELA? With its 3,800,000 members, RELA can assist the police to maintain public order.

So, why is Muhyiddin using the military?

Today, he may tell us that he is using the military to ensure people observe the curfew. What happens tomorrow? What has Muhyiddin planned for us?

Something is not right.

Is Muhyiddin cosolidating his power because he knows he is unpopular and wants to crush all opposition? One way is to use fear and a display of military might.

Muhyiddin seized power in a coup. He attacked our democratic institutions.

If Muhyiddin were popular, or possessed some exceptional qualities, as a leader, he would not have any difficulty ruling Malaysia.

Are military leaders going to use the curfew to plug the gaps and weaknesses in controlling the population?

Will military leaders use the Coronavirus “curfew” as a means to study our movements and behaviour? Intelligence gathering?

Muhyiddin has three unelected  leaders on the National Security Council These are the Chief of Defence, the IGP, and the Chief of the Civil Service. These three are in charge of 1.5 million civil servants, 120,000 soldiers and 150,000 policemen (the figures are probably higher). They control the state machinery. This team spells the end of civilian rule, as we know it.

We should not wait to see soldiers taking over our streets, before we register alarm.

Muhyiddin has already attacked our democracy in his power-grab. Don’t let him steal our basic freedoms. Don’t be fooled.

Let us hope Muhyiddin is not preparing us for martial law.

NOTE: *Movement Controlled Order (MCO) is a mouthful so for the purposes of this article, I will call the MCO a curfew. Moreover, MCO sounds like a condition of the intestinal tract…like a bowel disorder.