By John Burton in Singapore
Published: August 4 2009 22:36 | Last updated: August 4 2009 22:36
Najib Razak, Malaysian prime minister, has suffered a blow to his reputation as a reformer after a violent government reaction to an opposition protest at the weekend led to the arrest of nearly 600 people.
Mr Razak, who came to power in April, has sought to promote economic reform, pleasing foreign investors with measures such as reduced privileges for the ethnic Malay majority in business and politics.
But the tough government response to the 10,000-strong demonstration in Kuala Lumpur – against a long-standing law that allows detention without trial – suggests Mr Najib is continuing the tradition of his predecessors in dealing harshly with unauthorised opposition rallies.
The opposition may have hoped for the tough police response because it could reverse the recent surge in Mr Najib’s popularity. His approval rating rose to 65 per cent in June from 46 per cent a month earlier.
Mr Najib has promised to improve economic opportunities for ethnic Chinese and Indians, who mainly supported the opposition in the 2008 election, which nearly toppled the governing coalition that has been in power since independence from the UK in 1957.
But the use by police of tear gas and water cannons may revive doubts about the government’s commitment to reform, including a promise to review the Internal Security Act, which was the target of the protest.
Mr Najib defended the police action, saying it was necessary to maintain public order, and suggested protesters should have found alternative means of demonstrating.
“We can provide them stadiums where they can shout themselves hoarse till dawn, but do not cause disturbance on the streets,” he said. Most of those arrested have since been released.
The last big demonstration in Kuala Lumpur was in 2007, when ethnic Indians protested against what they claimed were discriminatory government practices. The resulting clash with police caused many Indians to support the opposition in the last election.
One of Mr Najib’s first acts as leader was to free the protest leaders, who had been held for nearly two years under the ISA.
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