MP SPEAKS Torture is abhorrent. But the Malaysian government may opt to use it to silence legitimate voices of dissent, come this weekend, at the Bersih 4 rally.
It's unimaginable that the police are deliberating on stunning protesters with an electric charge if they riot, become violent or resist arrest.
The Bersih demonstration is a peaceful rally calling for good governance, clean elections and the legitimate right of all Malaysian citizens to express dissent in a democracy.
But when taser guns are used to temporarily incapacitate the rakyat, who have every right to question rampant corruption, rigging of elections and the fast-sliding economy, then rule of law takes a backseat.
It’s an abuse of power by a regime that is scared of losing power, given the alarmingly loud voices urging Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak’s resignation following his inability to explain 1MDB’s huge financial scandal or the RM2.6 billion that was parked in his personal bank account.
And the anti-riot squad are already armed with enough paraphernalia, such as tear gas and water cannons, to disperse the peaceful crowd.
The United Nations Committee Against Torture reports that the use of tasers can be a form of torture, due to the acute pain they cause and warns against the possibility of death in some cases.
Although Malaysia has not ratified the UN Convention against Torture, it is still bound by it as a member of the Commonwealth because torture is against customary international law.
The taser is an electroshock weapon that uses electrical current to stimulate the human nervous system and disturb the voluntary control of muscles.
Huge risks
And they come with huge risks. It can cause heart attacks even on people with no pre-existing heart diseases and sudden death if not treated immediately.
Taser International, the main manufacturer of the guns, also warns on its website that tasers should not be used on people who are pregnant, have heart problems or asthma.
The electric current from the Taser guns, to temporarily incapacitate protesters, can also cause seizures.
Tasers have been found to ignite flammable materials. For this reason they come with express instructions not to use them where flammable liquids or fumes may be present, such as petrol stations.
Three men, all in their early 20s, died from after tasering in the United States in 2007, days after a Polish man died at Vancouver airport after being tasered by Canadian police.
There have been 17 deaths in Canada following the use of tasers since they were approved for use, and 634 deaths in the US. According to Amnesty International, coroners have listed the taser jolt as a contributing factor in more than 30 of those deaths.
Police officers in at least five US states have filed lawsuits against Taser International claiming they suffered serious injuries after being shocked with the device during training classes.
Given these alarming risks, why would the police even think about using electric shock weapons against the rakyat, who are merely exercising their right to dissent as enshrined by the Federal Constitution and in the fundamental principles of democracy?
What is Najib’s government afraid of?
William Hague, a British politician, said that governments that block the aspirations of their people, that steal or are corrupt, that oppress and torture or that deny freedom of expression and human rights should bear in mind that they will find it increasingly hard to escape the judgement of their own people, or where warranted, the reach of international law.
It's good for Najib and the police to bear this in mind, for if taser guns are used at the Bersih rally, it will be an act of terror unleashed against the rakyat by the state.
CHARLES SANTIAGO is Member of Parliament, Klang.
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