Stand firm on freedom of assembly

On 14 may 2006, a group of protestors had disrupted a public forum in Penang, which was to discuss the supremacy of the Federal Constitution. According to the organisers of the forum (Article 11), they were "ordered" to abort the forum by the policemen.

The incident has outraged many people, especially the non-muslims. Many so-called "liberals" have even condemned the police force for not dispersing the "mob". However, we must be extra careful when commenting the incident.

I am totally with you if you are supporting the Article 11 coalition and criticize the protestors for being conservative and intolerant. However, if we criticize the police for not clamping down the demonstrating crowd, we are putting ourselves in a bad light.

When peaceful assemblies such as anti-war protest, anti fuel price hike protest, Mayday rallies, anti-ISA procession etc were forcefully dispersed by the police, we stood firmly in defending our right to assemble peaceably; but why are we now asking the police to disperse the crowd outside the hotel where the public forum was held? Did they throw stones? Did they resort to violence? Did they bring arms?

If we ask the authority to suppress demonstrations which are not in our favor, we are asking for troubles. The double standard that we apply on others today will eventually make ourselves the sacrificial lamb!