Friday, 05 July 2013 19:37Written by Malaysia Chronicle
MP for Pandan Rafizi Ramli slammed Sarawak Chief Minister Taib Mahmud for barring UK journalist Clare Rewcastle Brown from entering the state, warning the move would tarnish Malaysia's image as a moderate nation whilst confirming to the world that the corruption-taintedTaib had "a lot to hide".
Rafizi said that the ham-fisted action went against Prime Minister Najib Razak's promise of greater democracy, but does not expect the Malaysian premier - who is in London for a working visit - to be able to do anything to 'save face' for himself or the country.
"The prime minister is so weak he is powerless with Taib Mahmud. If Najib has his way, Taib Mahmud would not be the chief minister now. But obviously if Najib were to be tough on Taib, for sure, we would have a new government because Taib's party is in control of a lot of seats - directly and through all the small parties (in Sarawak). So don't expect any bravado from Najib," Rafizi told a press conference on Friday.
"It is so embarrassing because you have one person who is brave enough to travel from London to defend herself (against a legal suit filed against her in Sarawak). She entered the tiger's den so to speak, even though to the whole world, there is already a big question mark on the independence of the Malaysian courts. The fact that the Sarawak state government does not dare to allow a lone crusader who believes and is fully convinced of the righteousness in what she does will send a strong message to the whole world, not just Malaysia, that the Sarawak government has a lot to hide.
"Clare is a personal friend and she is one of the most persistent people I know. So if Taib Mahmud thinks by not allowing her to enter Sarawak, he can silence her, he is wrong. He will only embolden her to travel around the world and campaign around the world. Taib has just plunged himself and his government into further international
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