Police giving in to Dong Jiao Zong protesters worrying, says Suhakam


Suhakam voices concerns over the deprivation of rights to freedom of assembly and freedom of speech after Dong Jiao Zong’s Jawi event was cancelled via a court order. – The Malaysian Insight file pic, December 30, 2019.

THE Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) is concerned the authorities are giving into the inciters of public order, after police obtained a court to stop last Saturday’s Dong Jiao Zong congress on the teaching of Jawi in vernacular primary schools.

In a statement, Suhakam said it was done at the expense of the protection of the fundamental rights of Malaysian citizens.

“Suhakam believes that the Dong Jiao Zong conference, as well as the subsequent protests by its detractors, should have been allowed to proceed.

“For authorities to ensure that both groups could safely and fully complete their activities in order to satisfy their rights to freedom of assembly and freedom of speech is vital for the realisation of a free an open democracy.”

On Friday, police obtained a court order to stop the Dong Jiao Zong’s Jawi congress in Kajang on grounds that the event could provoke racial tension and unrest.

Suhakam said it views seriously the actions of the state in the deprivation of Dong Jiao Zong of its rights by cancelling the conference through a court injunction.

“Suhakam also hoped the police will fully investigate threats of violence, as they could amount to incitement to hatred, sectarian riots, and threaten the rule of law in the country.” – December 30, 2019.


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Comments


  • We need a new PM seriously.

    Posted 6 years ago by Tanahair Ku · Reply

  • The police are losing their credibility....those days when the police bombed that Mongolian model they took instructions from the PM, dont tell me they are doing the same now. Dont you have your own brains-a credible and serious threat made IGP-what the hell are you doing. Another incompetent person selected who has no spine of his own....what has Malaysia become.

    Posted 6 years ago by Jai McGregor · Reply

  • What about the Prime Minister who initiated the protests to the Chinese educationists' gathering? On an earlier occasion he had called them "racists". On this occasion he said there would be chaos if the meeting is held which will offend the Malays and who will then react in "a very Malay way" ! What did he mean by REACT IN A VERY MALAY WAY??? Please tell him to stop making such statements which have the effect of encouraging racial rowdies to make threats. Actually it was the Prime Minister who didn't want the meeting to be held. What about "action" on the Prime Minister? The rowdies would not have felt so brave and secure without those words of the Prime Minister. The police, even if they had wanted to stop the rowdies, could not do so because the Prime Minister's message was that the meeting should not be allowed to go on. So the police had no choice but to get a court order to stop it. Don't turn a blind eye to what made the rowdies to demand that the meeting be stopped - they were carrying out the wishes of the Prime Minister.

    Posted 6 years ago by Ravinder Singh · Reply