YOURSAY 'Why handcuff and humiliate a teenage girl for expressing her disappointment with our country's leader?'

Merdeka eve incidents: Teen turns herself in

Longyan Ren: Whatever the merits or otherwise of bringing charges against these 11 individuals, most onlookers will see it as intimidation and harassment where the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) is constantly using the full might of the law to go after those who are not on the same page as the government.

I think this is going to cost Umno-BN some precious votes, especially among the youths and first-time voters.

Artong Penang: It's a black day for our country. Shame on those who gave the order to make the arrest. Why do you need to handcuff and humiliate a teenage girl for expressing her disappointment with our country's leader?

Where is our freedom of expression? What sedition?

LittleGiant: Charging a teenager under the Sedition Act for an alleged controversial incident is really shocking. Is this what Malaysia is all about?

But there is consolation. What PDRM is doing could actually go a long way towards a huge increase of support for Pakatan Rakyat in the next elections.

Swipenter: The action of PDRM in handcuffing the teenager is an overkill, much like squashing a mosquito with a sledge hammer.

People are already watching closely how the police are carrying out their duties when dealing with protestors on both sides of the divide.

The law must be applied and seen to apply evenly and impartially to all, but clearly this is not the case and it is contributing to the already seething anger and frustration of the people towards the police and the present administration.

Onyourtoes: Why so dramatic? Is it necessary to handcuff her? She has voluntarily turned herself in, she was not running away.

This is intimidation - a show of force, to make her an example so that the rest will toe in line. But I think you don't know the hearts of the people have already turned against you.

Raj 5503: I feel sad as a Malaysian that we have come to this level. These are youths who are venting their frustrations. Do you think intimidating them will make any difference? It only angers people further when we know double standards are employed.

Don't mistake me. I don't condone mooning at leaders in public. However, mooning in this instance could be an expression of frustration and anger at people whom we rely on but who fail us.

It does not matter which political party they come from. Our elected representatives from both divide have consistently let us down.

Slap the youths concerned on the wrist so that they would be more guarded in their actions and learn to practice the freedom given to them wisely and without hurting others. Then let them go.

But don't humiliate them! You will only lose them. Harness the energy of the young and we may just become a glorious nation once again.

Sickening: Selective prosecution - that is what all this is about. Umno can do whatever it wants to opposition leaders and Bersih co-chairperson Ambiga Sreenevasan. That is why BN is finished.

Multi Racial: Well, aren't we are moving from bad to worse. What have we shown to the world?

1) We practice double standard.

2) We are intolerant.

3) Democracy is more or less dead in this country.

4) Our police are not impartial as they work for a political party rather than enforcing the law without fear and favour.

From a political standpoint, PM Najib Abdul Razak just made himself look bad. Sometimes I do wonder who is advising him.

X123581321: She is a hero. Honour her name.

Queenie: I have his picture pasted on the bullseye of my dartboard so now I have to take it off.

Pity, I was getting to be quite accurate with my throws. Congratulations, inspector-general of police (IGP), your men did an excellent job in apprehending a violent criminal and handcuffing her.

Anonymous #72737246: I saw someone throwing a nasi lemak wrapper on the ground and then another person stepped on it. The wrapper was an old newspaper.

Can I also make a police report because the newspaper wrapper had a picture of the PM on it too?

SdnJF36784: I hope the authorities do not come down harsh on her as she is young and has a bright future, just like the two guys bound over for statutory rape recently.

Changeagent: If PDRM can spend less time escorting BN VVIPs, singing and performing at shopping centres, launching a national manhunt for the boy who bared his buttocks, and arresting a young girl who merely walked on a poster of their beloved Najib and his wife Rosmah Mansor, maybe, just maybe, our national crime rates might be lower and all Malaysians can also feel safer.

Anonymous #21828131: I lost my gold chain to snatch thieves four months ago in Seremban. My son-in-law lost his in Kuala Lumpur seven months ago. We never made any police report because we know the outcome.

We read about snatch thieves daily in the newspapers. Yesterday a man passed away in the hospital trying to catch a snatch thief. The PDRM is well aware of such incidents, but sadly to date it has failed to come up with any answer to the problem. That's because they spend so much of time, money and energy on everything else.

Go and handcuff all the snatch thieves if you can.

Kee Thuan Chye: Sedition? What sedition? How did stepping on Najib's photo amount to sedition? Did it lead to violence of any kind? Was anyone harmed?

And why was the girl handcuffed like a criminal? Why was her male friend arrested too - and also handcuffed?

It looks like we are turning into a police state - but worse than that, a police state with different sets of laws for different sets of people. As long as you're pro-BN and piss on photos of opposition leaders, you're okay. What has happened to the rule of law?

Wira: Handcuffed? We certainly rarely, if not never, saw VIPs who stole billions being handcuffed when they were arrested. This is clearly intimidation of the masses.

Very soon, you may even be deemed seditious if you tell people to vote against BN.

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