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By Wong Choon Mei, Suara Keadilan Pro-democracy groups are calling on all Malaysians to dress in black wherever they are and whatever they may be doing on Thursday, May 7 - a day that will surely go down in history as one of the darkest in the country’s history. On May 7, Thursday, Prime Minister Najib Razak’s Umno party will disregard all democratic rights, including the laws of the land, when his appointed chief minister for the northwestern Perak state, Zambry Kadir, pushes through motions in the legislative assembly to seal his party’s hold on power. After three months, the coup d’état that Najib orchestrated in February, with the help of the Perak Sultan, has failed to gain the acceptance of the Perak people. Instead of abating, their demands have intensified for fresh election to re-determine their state government. But to no avail! And this is the 21st century! The Pakatan Rakyat administration led by popular PAS leader Nizar Jamaluddin was toppled as a result of the power grab, although it has the same number of seats as the Umno-BN coalition. The peoples’ rights were clearly trampled on and ruthlessly suppressed. Nizar has vowed to attend Thursday’s sitting and to fight on for the Perak people. His Pakatan coalition has vowed to support him all the way. The Pakatan Rakyat leadership of Anwar Ibrahim, Lim Kit Siang and Abdul Hadi Awang asks all Malaysians to stand up for Perak. Stand up for democracy and insist on your right to choose your own leaders! ————————————————————————————————————————————– Suara Keadilan appends below comments from civil society leaders and human rights groups on the Perak debacle Ramon Navaratnam, director of Asian Strategy and Leadership Institute
The whole chaotic situation has come about because the basic fundamental right of free and fair election was not observed. Those at the very top must recognize this and take heed that this chaos and unhappiness is real and is caused by the peoples’ deep distress that their wishes have not prevailed. Freedom of expression through fair and free election is being thwarted by the lack of political will on the part of many. There is only way way out of this chaos and confusion - free and fair election. Only when the people of Perak are satisfied that they have been allowed to go through a process of utterly free and utterly fair election, then only will they be at peace. P Ramakrishnan, president of social reform and human rights group Aliran
Rest assured that Perakians will long remember this hypocrisy and they will punish Umno without fail. The rallying cry for the next general election will be Remember Perak – Remember the Injustice!
Gavin Khoo, political analyst
My question is “Is Malaysia a rule-based society?”. What is the value of the constitution and rule of law if the guardians of our democratic rights can easily manipulate and misinterpret these rights to serve their own interests? If we have to spend scarce resources on a good cause such as preserving our democratic rights then it has to be done e.g. the power grab and illegitimate government in Perak. It is clear and without a doubt that the BN installed Menteri Besar and state government would lose a state wide election if one is called. Simply, this was not the government elected by the people. Hence, to ensure our democracy works, it is important to go back to the people. The society can only change for the better if everyone of us is committed to the effort of making this country better than what it was yesterday. We should decide if we wanted a better future for ourselves and our children. Stop looking for the next politician or royalty to save us. Make all of them accountable for their words and action. You can make a difference. Do something for Malaysia. Matthias Chang, former political secretary and adviser to ex-PM Mahathir Mohamad
Give Perak to them (the Pakatan Rakyat) and it will be their quagmire! Believe me. Don’t waste time in Perak. The Royal Household has created a big hole. Get out of it now! From the Peoples’ Parliament
Imagine 7th May, and Malaysians from all walks of life, from Johore in the south right up to Perlis way up north, and our brothers and sisters in East Malaysia, at the train stations, bus stops, markets, offices, eating stalls, shopping malls, all dressed in black! Imagine the youth, flash-mob style, turning fast food joints and shopping centres gloomy with their black attire! Imagine the foreign and online media reporting how Malaysians turned out in full force throughout the country, all dressed in black wherever they were, to send a clear message to Najib and his cohorts in BN : WE DO NOT APPROVE OF WHAT YOU HAVE DONE IN PERAK. RESTORE POWER BACK TO THE PEOPLE NOW OR BE PREPARED TO PAY DEARLY I t will not take much for you to be a part of this effort. You do not have to give up a day at work. Heck go to work and get your colleagues to join you. Make the effort now to call up at least 10 people you know and urge them to turn Malaysia black this 7th May. | 
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