Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has condemned yesterday’s arrest of activists and protesters who rallied against the new Goods and Services Tax (GST) in Kuala Lumpur.

 

Lim accused the police of “taking revenge” against those who spoke on behalf of Malaysians who are burdened and victimised by the six percent consumption tax, implemented by the federal government since April 1.

 

“The activists and protesters were arrested after, and not during the rally," the DAP secretary-general said.

 

“There was no effort to disperse the protesters during the rally,” he told reporters in Penang today.

 

“Will we be arrested too for attending a similar anti-GST rally (yesterday) at the Tapak Ekspo in Seberang Jaya?” he asked.

 

“No one asked us to disperse and yet action could be taken later. Please do not be revengeful against those who oppose the GST,” he quipped.

 

Yesterday, 34 people, including well-known human rights advocate Ambiga Sreenevasan, opposition leaders - PAS central committee member Mohd Hatta Ramli, DAP’s organising secretary Anthony Loke and PSM secretary-general S Arutchelvan - were arrested after a rally in downtown Kuala Lumpur attended by about 20,000.

 

Lim reminded the police that they, too, are “victims” of the new tax.

 

He added that the protesters were merely expressing the lamentations of the public who were badly hit by the new tax.

 

High-handedness

 

Lim said the people would not be cowed by such high-handedness by the police.

 

“We will not back down from protesting the GST,” he said.

 

Lim also refuted a Bernama report which quoted him as saying that Pakatan would abolish the tax three years after it comes to power in Putrajaya.

 

Bernama said Lim had reportedly made the remark at the anti-GST rally in Seberang Jaya last night, where close to 2,000 people attended the event.

 

“I never said that. What I said is that the next general election is about three years away, and if we assume power in Putrajaya then, we will abolish the tax,” Lim said.

 

“I also said Permatang Pauh is our starting point to working towards the abolition of the GST. Everyone who attended the rally heard what I said,” he added.