IT is important for our current and past civil servants to remain apolitical and defend the sanctity of the Federal Constitution and help the “second wave” nation building, said former Johor DAP chairman Dr Boo Cheng Hau.
“Past and present civil servants should also defend our constitutional monarchy, where the Government of the day could dictate policies without jeopardising the people’s constitutional rights.
“The armed forces, police, judiciary and all other public institutions are important pillars of our democracy.
“With our political arena becoming more diverse, civil servants should stay above politics and avoid any effort to demonise political forces which abide by our constitutional framework,” he told FocusM.
Boo was responding to a report three days ago, where former Inspector-General of Police Tun Hanif Omar apologised to DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang in open court to settle a defamation suit levelled against him.
Malay daily, Sinar Harian also agreed to publish a written apology to the Iskandar Puteri MP for carrying Hanif’s statements, in two articles published back in September 2018.
The suit was filed following the former top cop’s accusation during Konvesyen Keramah Bangsa held at the Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) on Sept 6, 2018. Hanif was reported to have said that Lim was arrested in 1969 for allegedly calling for Malaysia to be divided along racial lines.
On that note, Lim also expressed regret in the court to settle a counter-suit filed by Hanif over statements published on the former’s blog, Twitter and Rocketkini against the ex-IGP.
Boo hoped that the latest development would restore DAP’s credibility among the populace, with the party marching on to push for concrete institutional reforms.
“DAP has always maintained its stand on pluralism, multiculturalism and non-racial politics. Unfortunately, we have been demonised by racial and divisive political forces over the years.
“These dubious forces even misused our civil service; such as the police, armed forces and the judiciary as tools to discredit DAP leaders and our peaceful means of struggles,” the former Skudai state assemblyman lamented.
On related matter, DAP central executive committee member Ronnie Liu said he hoped Hanif’s apology to Lim would serve as a lesson to all who had been slandering the party over the years.
“DAP is far from perfect but to accuse us of spreading hatred or dividing multi-racial Malaysia is simply out of place and far from the truth.
“We have been and always champion multiracialism and pluralism as the way forward for Malaysia. In fact, it is one of the founding principles of DAP,” the Sungai Pelek state assemblyman remarked. – Sept 23, 2021
Photo credit: Alchetron
