Indians = Gangsters?

I actually find the police spin in rejecting the police permit for the Hindraf rally this Sunday rather amusing.

It shows how archaic the Malaysian police thinking are. It also shows how racist they have become.

We had the IGP yesterday saying that "gangsters would be used which could cause a breach of the peace".

And the city CPO Zulhasnan Najib Baharudin said that the police have received information that "criminal acts" such as "fights" and "arguments" would occur during the rally.

Roadblocks have also been mounted around the city, ostensibly as a part of a "crime prevention" exercise.

Their spin seems to indicate that the police top brass have equated Indians to gangsterism and violence.

And what about the racial-profiling exercise in stopping all Indians at road blocks to prevent them from entering the city?

I agree that one or two of the Hindraf top wigs do tend to make their own emotion-ridden unwanted racial attacks but I have never known them to be the violent sort.

And how about people coming for the rally? Can they be violent too? Why should they? After all their purpose is to submit a memo to the British High Commission. There could be emotional speeches but I DO NOT see them running amok on Sunday, killing and maiming the first non-Indian they see!

My only worry is the presence of police gangsters who act as agent provocateurs. Maybe it is these groups the IGP and his KL police chief are talking about.

As I see if, the police were just pissed off with the manner they were conned by the Bersih rally on Nov 12. This time, they want to save face. To do that, they have to act tough. So they have started with the ready-made excuses.

And how about the racial spin?

IGP Musa urged the public to stay away from the rally as it could touch the sensitivities of other races and spark racial friction.

Hello? Wasn’t he following the UMNO AGM last year and this year, as well as many of the speeches made by the Umno MPs in the recent past?

And for a first time as I can remember, the police have also gotten a court order restraining people from participating in the rally.

First came the police warnings, and then the court restriction followed by the arrest of three top Hindraf leaders and finally, I believe, will be the tear gas and water cannon on Sunday for those who still insist on submitting the memo in a peaceful manner.

‘Gangsters’ have be warned. Be careful on Sunday. Perhaps it will be wise if the gathering crowd, if any, chant spiritual rhymes all the way to the High Commission and offer alms to the riot squad.