UMNO Hooligans in Tenang

It is normal for a healthy democracy to have differing ideologies, policies and agenda for the different political parties. The purpose of a democracy to enable these political parties and its leaders have the necessary space to convey its views to the public and electorate for their consideration.

However, the brutish and thuggish behaviour of BN-UMNO hooligans last night at the Felda Chemplak Barat ceramah by PAS last night, intentionally arranged to “greet” the arrival of Penang Chief Minister and DAP Secretary-General Lim Guan Eng, proved that they are antithetical and alien to the concept of democracy.

These 30 UMNO supporters who are not locals spent the evening attempting to disrupt the proceedings of the evening with their loutish behaviour which crescendoed during Lim Guan Eng’s speech. While some 20 policemen were present at the ceramah prevented these hooligans from physically disrupting the function, more should have been done to disperse their presence at the event.

This is a clear and blatant attempt by Umno to block and prevent Pakatan Rakyat leaders from presenting our case to the voters. It is also a mark of desperation by Umno that they are likely to fail their attempt to meet the Deputy President Muhyiddin’s KPI of 5,000 votes. It also represents their fear that their attempts to divide their electorate by splitting the electorate by racial rhetoric.

UMNO by all counts is the biggest threat to democracy in Malaysia.