Noh Omar’s Statement Has Become World News in BBC
Wednesday, 30-11-2005
Internal Security Ministry has ordered all press not to publish Noh Omar’s blunder yesterday evening. Most local Chinese dailies put his statement as front page headlines.
Well, no matter how the ministry has tried to cover-up, this is a global world, his shocking statement has become a world news now. Look at this:-))
The DAP MPs held press conference to show that the news report of Noh Omar’s statement in last night papers has been taken away from the front page of Chinese dailies this morning
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4483840.stm
Malaysian minister defends police
The Malaysian minister in charge of the police has said that foreigners who do not like the way his officers behave should leave the country.
Jonathan Kent
BBC News, Kuala Lumpur
Noh Omar’s remarks come just days after a video emerged of an ethnic Chinese woman being forced to perform naked squats in a Malaysian police station.
China has protested about the alleged treatment of its citizens.
Far from containing this crisis some politicians and police officers seem determined to make it worse.
“If foreigners think that Malaysia police are brutal, please go back to their own countries and not to stay here”Noh Omar
First Malaysia’s deputy police chief said it was standard procedure for suspects to be forced to strip and squat repeatedly while holding their ears.
Chinese anger
Now the minister in day-to-day charge of the police has hit out at complainants from overseas.
“If foreigners think that Malaysia police are brutal, please go back to their own countries and not to stay here,” Noh Omar told reporters in parliament.
On Monday he told lawmakers that he believed police had followed the rules, seemingly putting him at odds with Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi, who had announced a full independent inquiry.
The video prompted widespread outrage in Malaysia and the government has distanced itself from Mr Noh’s remarks.
But this is becoming increasingly difficult for Mr Abdullah who is sometimes characterised as too nice for the job.
Calls for the deputy police chief and now the deputy internal security minister to be sacked have so far gone unheeded.
On Tuesday the Chinese government stepped in and asked for abusive police officers to be punished, and for its citizens in Malaysia to be properly protected.
Several Chinese women have complained of being humiliated and robbed by Malaysian police officers, and the video footage has lent weight to their stories.
I understood that Noh Omar was a teacher before he took up law. If this is true I wonder how he taught the children to interact with the people in our society not to mention people from other countries.
Comment by justice — Wednesday, 30-11-2005 @ 22: 09.50
I just a read a news item on BBC that Miss Uma Bharti, a senior member ( also a former minister) of the Bharatiya Janata Party in India had been suspended from the party for clashing with her leaders. She also faces the prospect of being expelled!
Well, if an opposition party can take such a punitive action against a member for non-conformity with party guidelines, I don’t see any reason why our PM cannot suspend or sack Noh for his outburst and a direct affront to the PM conciliatory gentures to China.
Such an action would send a positive signal to China that he means business. On the other hand some Malay ultras will accuse the PM of sacrificing a Malay to pander to the Chinese!
The PM need team players but Noh is not one of them as he is more keen on scoring own goals.
Failure to take action against Noh would be sign of weakness on the part of the PM.
This news blackout directive, which Kit calls it a dangerous precedent, ( a misnomer really) is another backtracking move by the PM despite his promise of transparency.
Directive from the government to black out news is common and has always been happening, so this one cannot be called a precedent.
News blackout of Anwar’s 10,000 crowd in Kelantan is another example!
The PM has been letting us down again and again.
Comment by tony — Wednesday, 30-11-2005 @ 22: 22.46
New reality show in Malaysia… “WHO WANTS TO BE A COP”
I agree with some ppl… Cops involved should step down or the chief must go. A disgrace to M’sia! Better cleanup for our future generation.
What will happen to us when we go to China?
Comment by stone — Wednesday, 30-11-2005 @ 22: 38.13
Dear YB Teresa,
Something is seriously wrong in our country.The PM who is suppose to be the most powerful man in the country is powerless.Nobody listen to him.The police don’t give him a damn.Now the Deputy Internal Minister who is his cabinet minister talk the same language as the police.Yesterday he went further by asking foreigner to leave the country if they don’t feel happy with the police treatment.I am very disturb with what is happening.Contradiction,confusion,denial syndrome,actually who is really running the country?Someone please enlighten me.
Comment by yeahwho — Thursday, 01-12-2005 @ 00: 44.48
I have maintained for sometime now that a majority of our MPs are buffoons and hence our govt is a big joke. This latest statement by Noh Omar just proves my point. With apes like this we do not need comedy shows anymore to provide any laughs. No wonder they abolished TV licences a few years back so all the rakyat of Malaysia can get a good laugh for free. Another buffoon was calling some other members “monkeys” in parliament just recently…. guess he does not see himself in the mirror daily otherwise he would have seen that he is a bigger one
Comment by jas1gill — Thursday, 01-12-2005 @ 08: 24.34
I still remember back in 2002 the two MCA Assembly person in Penang (Tan Cheng Liang and Lim Boo Chang) paid the price for just abstaining from voting. Will Noh Omar be just let off by Pak Lah after “di tegur”?
Comment by nick — Thursday, 01-12-2005 @ 09: 26.39
There is a dangerous ground developing in certain quarters who view this issue on racial ground.
Therefore, I’d like to urge the DAPs not to fall into such a trick, deliberately intended to confuse the public.
This saga is about “power abuse”. Not about “that-SOP-is-correct-o-not” issue or “Chinese speaking for Chinese” misconception.
“Strip-search and ear-squat” is not the problem. This method is legitimate under “certain situations” such as detaining a terrorist or a drug suspect. However, it become a problem when this method is used on “ordinary detainees” like Makcik Nora!
Clearly, this is abuse of power we ought to rectify(i) and bring the perpetrators to justice for the victims(ii).
Comment by AdmiralChengHo — Thursday, 01-12-2005 @ 09: 49.19
Hi Teresa
Maybe this is a plot to embarrass PM by his enemies within the government. Too bad for him.
It’s not right for PM to black out any news. It shows the government is not transparent.
Any delays in implementing reforms for the police force will make things worse for them.
Comment by cashanson — Thursday, 01-12-2005 @ 16: 16.14
It’s not surprising such comments comes from Noh Omar. In fact the whole lot of UMNO MPs belong to the same flock. They lack credibility. To say the least none of them is a true politician. They jumped into politics for ulterior motives. You name me one, just one of them, who is clean. Zilch. And I for once hope DAP could work with other opposition parties and trounce these political bigots coming next GE.
Comment by Ibn Abd Halim — Thursday, 01-12-2005 @ 16: 43.57
Hi Teresa
Noh have say it and thousand see it on tv. What is there to hide. No use apology the PM must take action to sake him. Another minister using the word monyet and say macam monyet in parliment. Monyet atau macam monyet made no different. This show the minister attitude and from the tv screen I know exactly his manner and way of doing or handling thing or problems.
Comment by simeon — Thursday, 01-12-2005 @ 17: 29.44
Hi Teresa
Noh have say it and thousand see it on tv. What is there to hide. No use apology the PM must take action to sake him. Another minister using the word monyet and say macam monyet in parliment. Monyet atau macam monyet made no different. This show the minister attitude and from the tv screen I know exactly his manner and way of doing or handling thing or problems.
Comment by simeon — Thursday, 01-12-2005 @ 17: 34.53
Ahh…I think it’s pointless talking out the ministers or politicians mistake (as if any strict action would be taken against them). After all, monyet or macam monyet has their own language and their way of working. Surely it’s different from the human ones so why bother? Nobody can hear human angers as monyet are not that sensitive.
Hanya setitik nila, rosak susu sebelanga. That’s what happened. Now even the humans on Bolehland looks like monyet to foreigners.
Comment by chibimaruko — Tuesday, 24-01-2006 @ 13: 08.07