Condemnations regarding the police action against an anti-war demonstration over the weekend continued to pour in, with a human rights group today describing the government as no different from the United States which used violence in handling Iraq.

Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram) said it was disappointed that the protest organised by the Stop the War Coalition comprising non-governmental organisations, opposition parties and student groups was impeded and stopped by the authorities.

"The disappointment is heightened as another demonstration led by Umno Youth simultaneously at Dataran Merdeka was allowed, and further assisted by the police and government machinery," said Suaram coordinator Eric Paulsen in a statement.

He said the message sent out by the police action was clear that o­nly those affiliated with the government were allowed to exercise freedom of speech, assembly and association.

He added it was unfortunate that the authorities could not exercise restraint and discretion even in times of war.

"The government's retort to the peaceful anti-war demonstration was not unlike that of the (US President George W) Bush administration in the handling of Iraq o­ne that uses violence, tear gas, arrests, threats and intimidation," he said.

No better than US

Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) said the police "were no better than US and its allies" when they charged towards "innocent Malaysians who were just expressing their opposition against US aggression".

"The police action was unwarranted and was a clear case of double standard and hypocrisy a clear reflection of Malaysian politics locally and internationally," said PSM pro tem secretary-general S Arutchelvan in another statement.

He said the party fully supported the demonstration held by the Umno Youth-led Malaysia for Peace Coalition.

"At the same time, we regard the demonstration organised by other parties as equally important and relevant," he added.

Any high-handed action o­n anti-war demonstrations after this would o­nly downgrade the police force to the "aggression committed by Bush and (United Kingdom Prime Minister Tony) Blair, he warned.

The demonstration by the Stop the War Coalition o­n Saturday, ended up with over 100 police and Federal Reserve Unit personnel firing tear gas at some 2,000 participants and arresting 12 persons.

Among those arrested and released later were PRM president Dr Syed Husin Ali, PRM Youth chief Faizal Sanusi, deputy Youth chief Latheefa Koya and several PAS members.

Contingency studies

On a related matter, DAP national chairperson Lim Kit Siang said he was surprised by Acting Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's announcement yesterday that all ministries had been directed to study the effects of war in Iraq o­n their respective agencies and relevant sectors.

"Malaysians had expected that the government to have completed such contingency studies with the two-month fine-tuning of the post-Iraq war economic stimulus package.

"Abdullah had given the impression that the government was caught off-guard by the US-led war in Iraq which cannot be the case because the economic stimulus package was held back earlier due to the impending war o­n Iraq then," he said.

In late February, second Finance Minister Jamaluddin Jarjis had said Finance Minister and Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad would unveil the package aimed at increasing national competitiveness and controlling the government's deficit before end of this month.

Lim questioned why Abdullah had ordered all ministries to "re-study" the impact of the war instead of releasing the stimulus package immediately.

"Is it to buy time for a further delay so that the stimulus package need not be presented to the current meeting of Parliament which will end o­n Apr 8?" asked the DAP chief.

He called o­n Abdullah not to repeat the mistake with the two previous economic stimulus packages, announced in March and September 2001 respectively and amounted to RM7.3 billion, where both the packages were presented outside Parliament.

"In presenting the latest package to Parliament, Abdullah as the acting finance minister must also submit an audited account for the two previous packages. There is a widespread concern about extensive abuse and misuse of public funds and gross wastage in the two packages," he said.

Suspend UK, Australia

Meanwhile, Gerakan central committee member Dr Toh Kin Woon called o­n the government and other Commonwealth countries to institute the necessary action to suspend UK and Australia from the Commonwealth of Nations.

"The war which US, UK and Australia are waging is to impose their colonial domination o­n Iraq. This violates the important principle of the Commonwealth to commit itself to opposing all forms of colonial domination," said Toh, who is also a Penang state executive councillor.

However, he stressed that he was speaking in his personal capacity because he believed that the Commonwealth should apply its principles of peace and development uniformly across all member states.