Monday, February 18, 2008

Malaysian problems

When Malaysia's Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi called early elections on March 8, he was always going to have problems with the Indian minority. After all, some 20,000 Indians just held an anti-government demonstration in November, so chances are that the Indians will take this chance to hold even more demonstrations and protests.

Which beg to question why Malaysian security forces have to use tear gas and water cannon to break up a protest by ethnic Indians in the capital, Kuala Lumpur. The demonstration was held by the Hindu Rights Action Force, which is demanding the release from jail of five of its leaders who were arrested for the protest in November. Surely the Malaysian government and police know this will happen? So why did they use tear gas and water cannons, which make them look so bad in the eyes of the international community?

Just let the Indians have a few protest marches, at least till the elections are over, and all will be okay. At least this way, the molehill will stay a molehill and not turned into a mountain.

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