Visiting US President Barrack Obama must look beyond the “deceptive picture” of Malaysia which is being painted by the ruling Barisan Nasional government.
Sarawak PKR chief and Ba Kelalan assemblyman Baru Bian said the world has been blind to the erosion of human rights, justice and fairness in Malaysia thus far and urged Obama to look beyond this ‘picture’ of Malaysia.
In a letter to Obama, who arrived here for a two-day official visit on Saturday, Bian drew the former’s attention to the plight of Sarawak’s indigenous people, religious extremism, rampant abuse of power, corruption, deaths in police custody and gerrymandering.
Of the indigenous community, Bian said they were being treated with “indifference and contempt”.
“Large tracts of the native customary land of the indigenous people are taken by logging companies, huge plantations and dam builders, often without notice, consultation and free prior-consent and/or compensation as required under the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).
“These activities are often sanctioned or even aided by those in authority. The government has (also) ignored confirmed reports of rape of native girls by logging company workers in the remote jungles, “ he wrote.
On the simmering racial and religious issues, Bian told Obama that Prime Minister Najib Razak “dares not defend our constitutional rights for fear of offending the Islamists.”
“Racial and religious intolerance is allowed to simmer and fester by those who have the authority and means to stop it but lack the political will and fortitude to do so.”
“Religious extremists and bigots are attempting to convert this secular country into an Islamic state but our Prime Minister dares not defend our constitutional rights for fear of offending the Islamists,” he said.
Bian also pointed out the “widespread” abuse of power and corruption at “all levels of the executive, legislative and judicial systems.
Not meeting Anwar
He said persecution and imprisonment of opposition leaders is the government’s preferred method of dealing with dissent.
“Citizens who dare to march in the streets for their rights are assaulted with teargas, acid-laced water cannons, beatings and arrests.”
“The mainstream press is tightly controlled by the authorities and indeed many of them are owned by those with close links to the ruling coalition.”
“Deaths of those in police custody continue to occur unabated with at least one death reported per month since the year 2000,” Baru said.
Amidst all this, he said Malaysians were patiently chipping away at “the grip that the oppressive, self-serving and corrupt regime has on the reins of power.”
He also pointed out that despite winning 52% of the popular votes, the multiracial opposition was denied the opportunity of forming the government because of the practice of malapportionment and gerrymandering in the country’s electoral system.
“We need you to take the lead of international leaders to recognise the struggle for democracy that is happening now in Malaysia.
“I pray that you will hear the many voices who will be speaking about our hopes and dreams for a beautiful, free and fair Malaysia that was meant to be, and which has the potential to be, if given the chance,” he told Obama.
Obama has spent the last two days in Kuala Lumpur meeting officials and in closed door talks with Prime Minister Najib Razak.
He was given a state welcome at Parliament house on arrival nd later attended a royal banquet. Yesterday Obama visited the National Mosque and held a town-hall style session with young leaders from Asean.
He is also to meet NGO leaders who have been critical of the government.
But he will not be meeting Pakatan Rakyat leader Anwar Ibrahim.
Anwar however will meet the US national security adviser Susan Rice.
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