Is this the who you want as your representative?

She is but one of many.

China Press published an apology 'clarifying' that she mentioned the 1969 incident instead of 513. Is there really a difference?

If you endorse the statement below, please post this at your front page of the blog until Chew Mei Fun retracts her statement and apologize. [Click here for the Malay and Chinese versions of the Joint Statement


JOINT PRESS STATEMENT BY CONCERNED MALAYSIANS ON 22 JANUARY 2008:

Say NO to the Spectre of May 13

- Chew Mei Fun MP must retract her fear-mongering statement and apologize

We,the undersigned civil society groups and concerned citizens of diverseethnic, religious and cultural backgrounds, stress that all Malaysianshave the right to choose their representatives and the government in afree, fair and clean election. No individual politician or politicalparty should resort to threats or intimidation to influence the voter’sdecision.

We lament that Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun, MCA MP forPetaling Jaya Utara, as reported in the China Press on January 21(Monday), has conveyed this fear-mongering message to the public: “Ifthere is insufficient Chinese representation in the Barisan Nasional,it is not a good thing, the Chinese community cannot afford another May13 incident.”

The May 13 ethnic riot in 1969 was a darkchapter in Malaysia’s political history where political violence andmanipulation overshadowed the democratic process as well as the voiceof the people. Invoking the bitter memories of this tragic incident forpolitical gain is a huge insult to those who died, the survivingvictims and their families. This veiled threat to voters not to supportthe opposition parties is shameless and unbecoming of a responsiblepolitical leader.

If Chew is aware of certain quarters planningto use violence in response to a certain electoral outcome, she who hasbeen speaking tirelessly on public safety should lodge a police reportimmediately and assist in the police investigation.

If she ismerely speculating, we are truly disappointed that she has stooped solow in fishing for support. Politicians should not behave likegangsters. They should not use the threat of violence to solicit vote,as gangsters do to extort money.

By making this statement, Chew has in fact violated Section 9 (1) of the Election Offences Act 1954:

Undue influence

9.(1) Every person who, before, during or after an election, directly orindirectly, by himself or by any other person on his behalf, makes useof or threatens to make use of any force, violence, or restraint, orinflicts or threatens to inflict, by himself or by any other person,any temporal or spiritual injury, damage, harm, or loss upon or againstany person in order to induce or compel such person to vote or refrainfrom voting, or on account of such person having voted or refrainedfrom voting, at any election, or who by abduction, duress, or anyfraudulent device or contrivance impedes or prevents the free exerciseof the franchise of any elector or voter, or thereby compels, induces,or prevails upon any elector or voter either to give or refrain fromgiving his vote at any election, or who directly or indirectlyinterferes or attempts to interfere with the free exercise by anyperson of any electoral right shall be guilty of the offence of undueinfluence.

While waiting for the Election Commission toinvestigate and lodge a police report, we call upon Chew to do thehonorable thing. She should retract her statement and apologizeunreservedly for her fear-mongering act. She must condemn unreservedlythe use of political violence in Malaysia.

Voters must beassured of their right to vote for any candidate or party of theirchoice in an environment that is free from fear and intimidation.

Wealso call upon the Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Abdullah Badawi todisassociate his administration and party from Chew’s fear-mongeringstatement and condemn unreservedly the use of threats and intimidationon voters.

We must not let Malaysia become a failed state wherepolitical violence rules, like Pakistan. We must not allow any party to‘play with fire’. We categorically reject anyone who uses the spectreof May 13 as a bogeyman to threaten Malaysians.

All individuals or civil society organisations in support of democracy mayendorse this statement by displaying a copy of this statement on theirpremises, vehicles or the front page of their blogs or websites, untilChew retract the statement and apologizes.

Civil Society Organisations:

1. Group of Concerned Citizens (GCC)
2. SOS Penang
3. Writers Alliance for Media Independence (WAMI)
4. Jaringan Rakyat Tertindas (JERIT)
5. Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM)
6. Malaysia Youth and Students Democratic Movement (DEMA)
7. Labour Resource Centre
8. Pusat Komunikasi Masyarakat (KOMAS)
9. Civil Rights Committee, KL-Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall (CRC-SCAH)
10. Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ)
11. Unit Pemikiran Politik, Institut Kajian Dasar (UPP-IKD)
12. Malaysian Voters Union (MALVU)
13. Research for Social Advancement (REFSA)
14. Citizen Think Tank
15. Artisproactiv(APA)
16. Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM)
17. Youth For Change (Y4C)

For group endorsement, please email Medaline Chang at medster@gmail.com.