24th Aug, 2001

Mahathir predicts violence, riots at CHOGM.

By MARK BAKER, ASIA EDITOR.

KUALA LUMPUR

Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad has predicted violent demonstrations and a brutal police response during next month's Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Brisbane.

In a fresh assault on Western nations and Australia in particular, Dr Mahathir forecast a repeat of the anti-globalisation violence that led to the death of a protester during the recent summit in Genoa, Italy.

"They are going to beat up any demonstrators. Just wait and see when they have a Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Australia. I expect there will be demonstrations and there will be violence and police brutality," he said.

Dr Mahathir advised the Australian high commission in Kuala Lumpur in June that he would not be attending CHOGM. No reasons were offered, but the decision is seen by Australian officials as another example of his long-standing and unexplained animosity towards Australia.

Dr Mahathir recently renewed his attacks on Australia and the treatment of Aborigines, mocking the Australian accent during a speech at the annual congress of his ruling United Malays National Organisation.

His prediction of violence at CHOGM came as he responded angrily to a report this week by Malaysia's official human rights commission, known as Suhakam, condemning police violence against protesters during an anti-government rally in Kuala Lumpur last November.

He accused Suhakam - an increasingly forceful critic of human rights abuses in Malaysia since it was established by parliament last year - of being unpatriotic and of attempting to curry favor with Western nations.

He said the commission was afraid to act independently and in the interests of the Malaysian nation for fear that it would not win the praise of the orang puti (whites).

"They are very much influenced by Western thinking. They want to prove we are very liberal and all that, but the West is not that liberal. They beat up demonstrators," he said.

"We expect them to be fair, to understand that they are Malaysians and that they should think in terms of being Malaysians."

The Suhakam report found police had used excessive force, including water cannon and tear gas to break up a peaceful protest and had assaulted detainees and denied the injured medical treatment.

Dr Mahathir, who said he had not read the report, defended the actions of the police and their right to use force against protesters.

"Our police are very considerate. By right, they should be given the power to use force, but what happens is that their actions are criticised and blown out of proportion by our own people," he told reporters on his return from a visit to Africa.

"The police were working under pressure. They had to contend with this new phenomenon (street demonstrations) which is being encouraged by the West ... they want to make Malaysia like some other countries where governments can be toppled by street demonstrations."

The head of Suhakam, former chief justice Anuar Zainal Abidin, defended the 66-page report, which followed 20 days of hearings at which 46 people, including the police, gave evidence.

"We decided purely on the facts. We were certainly not influenced by any sort of liberal attitude of foreigners," he said.

Source: AGE (MELBOURNE) 24/08/2001 P2

SYDNEY MORNING HERALD

24th Aug, 2001

Mahathir sees blood on streets of Brisbane.

By Mark Baker, Herald Correspondent, in Kuala Lumpur.

The Malaysian Prime Minister predicts violent demonstrations and a brutal police response during next month's Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Brisbane.

The Malaysian Prime Minister predicts violent demonstrations and a brutal police response during next month's Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Brisbane.

In a fresh assault on Western nations, and Australia in particular, Dr Mahathir Mohamad forecast a repeat of the anti-globalisation violence that led to the death of a protester at the recent summit in Genoa.

"They are going to beat up any demonstrators. Just wait and see when they have a Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Australia. I expect there will be demonstrations and there will be violence and police brutality," he said.

But the Queensland and Federal governments rejected Dr Mahathir's claim.

The Queensland Premier, Mr Beattie, said he was confident protests would be peaceful.

"Violent protests are un-Australian and I don't believe they will happen in Queensland," Mr Beattie said. "I believe people have a right to protest, and CHOGM has a right to meet, and the police will ensure that both those rights are upheld."

CHOGM's Australian spokesman, Mr Andrew Reynolds, also rejected Dr Mahathir's claim.

Dr Mahathir advised the Australian High Commission in Kuala Lumpur in June that he would not be attending. No reasons were offered.

Recently he renewed his attacks on Australia and the treatment of Aborigines, mocking the Australian accent during a speech at the annual congress of his ruling United Malays National Organisation.

His prediction of violence at CHOGM came as he responded angrily to a report this week by Malaysia's official human rights commission, known as Suhakam, which condemned police violence against protesters during an anti-government rally in Kuala Lumpur last November.

He accused Suhakam an increasingly forceful critic of human rights abuses in Malaysia of being unpatriotic and of attempting to curry favour with western nations.

He said the commission was afraid to act independently and in the interests of the Malaysian nation for fear that it would not win the praise of the orang puti (whites).

"They are very much influenced by Western thinking. They want to prove we are very liberal and all that, but the West is not that liberal. They beat up demonstrators," he said.

"We expect them to be fair, to understand that they are Malaysians and that they should think in terms of being Malaysians."

The Suhakam report found police had used excessive force, including water cannons and tear gas, to break up a peaceful protest and had assaulted detainees and denied the injured medical treatment.

Dr Mahathir, who said he had not read the report, defended the actions of the police and their right to use force against protesters.

"Our police are very considerate," he said.

"By right, they should be given the power to use force, but what happens is that their actions are criticised and blown out of proportion by our own people.

"The police were working under pressure. They had to contend with this new phenomenon [street demonstrations] which is being encouraged by the West.

"They want to make Malaysia like some other countries where governments can be toppled by street demonstrations."

The head of Suhakam, former Chief Justice Anuar Zainal Abidin, defended the 66-page report, which followed 20 days of hearings at which 46 people, including the police, gave evidence.

"We decided purely on the facts," he said. "We were certainly not influenced by any sort of liberal attitude of foreigners."