Eyes on Cops' Handling on Anti-Lynas Protest

I am aware that later in the afternoon is the Anti-Lynas protest heading from KLCC towards the Australian High Commission. And true, people even from Australia and Malaysia have been protesting over the start of operations of the Gebeng plant, 25km from Kuantan over the concern of health. We have been reminded of the Bukit Merah disaster that happened before that people do not want it to repeat again.

The Gillard and Najib administration respectively were under fire from many quarters over this matter.

But we all know what's the summary about. It's about the protest today.

Because today's protest involves international eyes and observers, the eye now turns to how the police will be there to handle the situation. If the same case happens where unnecessary action could be taken, it will be police that will be flayed on that day. I could see possible footage from there could hit international news channels by nightfall.

In the past experience, there are mainly two to three main police heads in the vicinity of KL that would be responsible.

One of them is the Dang Wangi police chief, OCPD Zulkarnain Abdul Rahman, and the other one, replacing Datuk Wira Sabtu Osman was Zulkifli Abdullah, formerly the Perak state police chief. Remember that Zulkifli was responsible for the not so professional handling of the state assembly protests back in Ipoh in May 2009. As for Zulkarnain, I recalled that he was one of those that refused the issue of permit for the Bersih 2007 rally.

I recalled this was written by the Kuantan Environmental Watch Group:

A WARNING TO ALL THE FRU & POLICE OFFICERS THAT MIGHT BE PRESENT THAT DAY, MANY LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS WILL BE MONITORING YOUR MOVEMENT. THIS IS A PEACEFUL EVENT. IF YOU TAKE ANY UNNECESSARY ACTION AGAINST OUR PARTICIPANTS, WE WILL REPORT YOU TO THE INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION.

The heads will have to take the responsibility there. Period.