Human Rights is against Racial Unity...

Technorati tags: Humor, Human Rights, International Human Rights Day, Festival Of Rights, Malaysian Bar Council

Or at least that's what some dickheads in Government think. In particular, this clown. Flashback last Sunday, December 2nd. Via Bernama:

Totalitarianism Good... Democracy Bad... Human Rights Worse

Presumably, Lord Zam's words of wiley wicked wisdom had influenced the dark side of The Force. Couple that with more words of delusional conspiracy-laden wisdom (via The Star) from none other than the UMNO Youth President. This probably has, in turn, spooked the Bar Council, which earlier today called off the People's Freedom Walk, part of this Sunday's celebrations of International Human Rights Day, which falls on December 10.

Announced this afternoon, via Malaysiakini, Bar Council chairperson Ambiga Sreenevasan described the controversy surrounding the event as “unfortunate and wholly unwarranted".

The Bar Council has called off its annual human rights day march on Sunday, ostensibly due to pressure from the authorities to obtain a police permit and it being branded as an ‘anti-government’ rally.

“We are calling it off, but will proceed with the rest of the festivities (at Central Market),” council chairperson Ambiga Sreenevasan told Malaysiakini this afternoon.

In a press statement later, she said the council’s decision was made after “anxious consideration to the present circumstances that surround the event, particularly the interests of the public and the Malaysian Bar".
(source: Malaysiakini, subscription required)

Ambiga also said that the requirement of a police permit ran contrary to "our constitutional right to peaceful assembly".

Rememeber Walski's 3rd Law of Governmentatl Physics? Well, here's one proof of that law - For every civil liberty guaranteed in the Federal Constitution, there is an equal and opposite law enacted to totally negate it.

Officially, the Bar Council, in a press statement issued, stated that "the council’s decision was made after 'anxious consideration to the present circumstances that surround the event, particularly the interests of the public and the Malaysian Bar' ". Deciphering the Lawyer-speak, essentially what that nicely worded statement says is "We got spooked". And probably for very good reasons.

Human Rights? Zam wouldn't know Human Rights if it crept up behind him and bit him in the ass.
(paranoia rules the day, and then some, in the full post)

But who's Walski to complain? Malaysia is technically still in the State of Emergency, which was last instituted in 1969 (via Malaysiakini, subscription required), but never repealed. Najib will try to tell you otherwise, though. Must've flunked history, that boy.

The best part about what Zam had to say though, is that whatever street rallies will "tarnish the nation's image in the eyes of the international community". Yeah, well Zam has, in effect, done better - coerce the cancellation of a march (not rally, mind you) in honor of Human Rights. Great for the country's image, for sure - the country's sacred image as a leading laughing stock for the world, that is.

Seriously, Walski cannot recall another MisInformation Minister that has done more damage to the image of Malaysia as a progressive, democratic country. Oops.... said the "P" and "D" words.... Sorry!

Which actually sets up myAsylum's latest poll - how do you think the government views human rights? The poll is at the top of the left sidebar, or accessible via this link.

Meanwhile, the rest of the Festival of Rights on Sunday, December 9th, at Central Market, is scheduled to proceed as planned. You can get details on the goings on there from this post at the human rights day blog.

March is off, but the rest is on!

Walski doubts Zam will show up. He'll probably be too busy thinking up more and more ludicrously idiotic statements to make to the press. Gotta maintain his image, you know?