Police probes into opposition MPs for questioning the Perikatan Nasional government are acts of intimidation, the Pakatan Harapan secretariat council said today.
The PKR, Amanah and DAP members called for an end to such tactics, saying the PN government should be mature enough to accept different political opinions.
“We condemn such acts which are a form of intimidation against political rivals.
“PN should be more mature and open to differences of political opinion.
“Such intimidation tactics only create a negative perception of Malaysia’s politics and democracy in the eyes of the world,” read a statement from secretariat council members Saifuddin Nasution (PKR), Khalid Samad (Amanah) and Anthony Loke (DAP).
They were referring to critics, including DAP’s Segambut MP Hannah Yeoh, being called in by police for questioning over tweets that were critical of the government.
Yeoh, the former deputy minister of women, family and community development, has been summoned to Bukit Aman tomorrow over a tweet in March questioning the fate of the national roadmap to end child marriage under the PN government. The roadmap was launched by PH in January before it was ousted.
A few days later, Muar MP Syed Saddiq Abdul Rahman said he was summoned by the police to appear in Bukit Aman for questioning over an interview broadcasted on Al Jazeera, also back in March.
Last month, the police called Kuala Langat MP Datuk Dr Xavier Jayakumar in following his alleged statement with elements of sedition and provocation on the half day parliamentary sitting.
In response, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Abdul Hamid Bador said the decision by the police to question a few political leaders was not the result of pressure from any groups or political parties.
Abdul Hamid said the decision to call the politicians to Bukit Aman was not to arrest or torture them, but to give them the space and opportunity to explain their side of the story over reports that were lodged against them.