Tackle violence or lose credibility, govt told after Rafizi's son's attack

Summary

• Projek Sama urges the government to act decisively after the attack on Rafizi Ramli’s son, warning that 10 unresolved high-profile violence cases undermine law enforcement.

• It stresses that without security and accountability, the government’s reform agenda risks losing credibility.

Project Stability and Accountability for Malaysia (Projek Sama) urged the government to take decisive action to curb cases of violence and intimidation, following the attack against former economy minister Rafizi Ramli’s son.

According to the NGO, the attack marks the 10th unresolved high-profile case of violence or intimidation under the government’s watch, since it took power in November 2022.

“Ten unresolved high-profile cases under Madani mark a serious failure of law enforcement.

“Projek Sama calls on the prime minister to act decisively, for without security and accountability, his government’s reforms risk losing all credibility,” it said in a statement today.

It pointed out that in its survey on ethnic relations last year, the significant majority of West Malaysians want the government to take stern action against violence. The proportion is highest among Malay respondents, at 78 percent.

Rafizi’s 12-year-old son was attacked by two assailants who stabbed him with a syringe at a Putrajaya mall car park on Aug 13. The attack was followed up with threatening messages sent to his wife.

Politicians, footballers targeted

Projek Sama noted that Rafizi is only the second MP to be targeted.

Prior to this, Beruas MP Ngeh Koo Ham’s home in Ayer Tawar was firebombed on Jan 10 last year while he and his wife were asleep inside.

Other incidents listed by Projek Sama are:

• Abduction of Pamela Ling on April 9 this year while en route to MACC’s headquarters in Putrajaya to have her statement recorded.

• An attack against footballer Safiq Rahim’s car with a hammer on May 7, 2024, while he was driving.

• An acid attack against footballer Faisal Halim at a mall on May 5, 2024.

• A robbery and assault against footballer Akhyar Rashid outside his residence on May 3, 2024.

• Firebombing of three KK Mart branches on March 26, 30, and 31 last year.

• The planting of an improvised explosive on lawyer and activist Siti Kasim’s car on July 21, 2023.

“No one has been charged so far for all these cases. Not even one assailant has been arrested. One victim, Ling, is still missing.

“If high-profile individuals like politicians and/or family, lawyers, and footballers are not safe, with their assailants remaining scot-free for days if not months after committing crimes, can ordinary Malaysians believe that they are safe?” asked Projek Sama.

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