Latest news with #politicaloppression
Malay Mail
22-07-2025
- Politics
- Malay Mail
At Zunar's book launch, Anwar vows judicial independence while blasting hypocrisy of new champions
SHAH ALAM, July 22 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today said that he understands the need for judicial independence, alluding to his personal experience in finding justice amid political persecution. However, he criticised those who are now attempting to champion the judiciary, but were once complicit in political oppression and injustice — without naming any names. 'Sometimes when the judiciary is discussed today, it feels as though some are pretending not to know the history of how certain parties once colluded in oppression and authoritarianism, but now want to speak about freedom. 'Those of us who went through that experience believe and are convinced that one of the most important lessons is that the judiciary must remain independent,' he said while launching political cartoonist Zunar's biography here. 'There must be no political hands interfering,' he added. Anwar went on to praise Zunar, highlighting how his work has exposed major scandals such as 1MDB. Anwar said his admiration for the veteran cartoonist extended beyond personal sentiment, saying that it was not due to any sympathetic portrayal of him, but rather the cartoonist's brilliance in using minimal language to address national issues. 'I agree with what Zunar once said that drawing cartoons might seem easy, but to draw with understanding and conviction is something very difficult. 'He's able to digest issues and problems through deep reading and understanding. That's why I believe his work is not only important for revealing history but also serves as a powerful lesson,' he added. The prime minister also reiterated the need for genuine separation of powers and institutional integrity, noting that while the judiciary is often seen as a noble institution, it is important to recognise that it has not been immune to corruption and abuse of power. Anwar said the same standard must apply to the highest offices in government. 'The same goes for the office of the prime minister or the finance minister, they should carry out their duties with integrity. But the reality is that there have been those who have abused their power to accumulate excessive wealth,' he said.
South China Morning Post
22-06-2025
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
As political violence rises in the US, only Americans can save themselves
Law enforcement agencies empowered by the government to carry out the agenda of an ageing president eager to settle political scores. Politicians, media and judges facing harassment and even arrest by forces loyal to the president. A ruling party in lockstep with its autocratic leader, unwilling to challenge him amid a combination of ideological factors but also careerism. Police forces dispatched with emergency powers into strongholds of the political opposition. Politicians associated with the opposition party murdered. This situation describes not the United States of today but South Korea under its first president, Syngman Rhee. Following the Korean peninsula's liberation from decades of Japanese colonisation in 1945, the national division of 1948 and then the Korean war of 1950-53, the ostensibly democratic South Korea suffered from weak institutions and established norms. This, along with the ever-present threat of North Korea and communist infiltration, plus extensive US backing, allowed Rhee to turn the country's ruling Liberal Party into an organisation built almost entirely around loyalty to him. He could personally direct the country's internal security forces against threats to his position. Consequently, Rhee maintained tight control over the government for 12 years, even as the economy stagnated, his forces grew more brazen in their oppression and public discontent began to mount. These pressures finally boiled over in April 1960 when a massive uprising , led by young people unhappy with their still-dim economic prospects and Rhee loyalists' blatant election-rigging, marched on the capital, prompting a fatal police crackdown. This only stirred further outrage and protests, leading to a harsh reaction from the United States, South Korea's most important ally. Rhee quickly resigned and, though he had spent decades during Japanese colonisation as a brave, self-sacrificing advocate for his people's independence, is today largely remembered as a failed president and an autocrat, unworthy of being memorialised.
Yahoo
15-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
US protesters on Trump: ‘He's shredding our constitution, our government'
Millions of protestors gathered across the US on Saturday across thousands of events to protest against Donald Trump's administration in a planned series of events called 'No Kings'. Organized by a coalition of groups, the demonstrations were largely peaceful, though they occurred on the same day Minnesota lawmakers were shot, and one killed, in political violence, and just a week after the federal government ordered military to descend on Los Angeles streets to quell protests there. The Guardian spoke to dozens of protesters across the country about the mass demonstrations. Here is what they said. 'Other people have the right to work hard and make a life for themselves when they come from a country where they can't do that or are facing political oppression or are desperate,' he said. 'This is supposed to be the land of opportunity and a land built on immigrants.' 'It's a perverse show of power, unnecessarily,' he said of Trump's military parade in Washington. 'For the most part, the administration is pushing forth an agenda and people have been asleep at the wheel.' A 56-year-old chef, originally from Argentina Major said that he was there to protest everything that Trump has done over the past several decades, 'including not letting Black people rent his apartments in New York and arresting people for no reason just because they're people of color'. 'Being a veteran during the Vietnam era, I know a couple of guys who died in combat to fight for the things that Trump is destroying now.' 'If you don't stand up and make your voices heard, then change won't happen,' Rusty said. 'What he's doing is shredding our constitution, our government.' Major, 71, is an honorably discharged Vietnam veteran. Rusty is a retired chemical company employee 'There's a decline at the top of the country's leadership in respecting the laws of the land that were designed to guard against the abuses that they are committing against the people who live here.' Dunphy said that he was protesting against the 'kidnapping by un-uniformed agents of quasi legal agencies,' Dunphy said. 'That's an 18th-century problem that we shouldn't be dealing with in the 21st century. There's a disregard of due process.' Dunphy said he hoped that the nationwide protests would encourage elected officials to vocally oppose Trump's presidency. 'My assessment of the past five months is that it's a dismantling of a government that we've worked so hard to build in response to the unjust way things used to be.' Forty-five-year-old e-commerce worker McGowan carried a sign with the names of the two lawmakers – Melissa Hortman and John Hoffman – and a red heart. He made it this morning after the news broke about the shootings. 'We all know, for Americans, that democracy doesn't come with a guarantee of safety, and that you fight for that kind of thing,' he said. 'We are all affected by not just by political violence, but all violence in our lives. And there's way too much of it – way too much gun violence, way too much television hate, way too much inhumanity to your neighbors, and we need to push back on that and to contribute civility to our common good.' Minneapolis based accountant Normally, she said, when you attend a rally, you feel pumped up and recommitted to the cause. 'It's like some of that, plus mourning. It's just horrifying, and it's all so upsetting,' Cheronis said. 'It's really sad, especially someone who was not even a divisive character, a complete and total public servant, who had no dreams of going to Washington or some bigger stage, really just kind of working hard for the people,' she said of Hortman. Art conservationist 'Our flag has been conscripted by Maga, as though theirs is the only true patriotism,' one volunteer, mental health therapist Laura Gustavson, said, with an American flag. 'We're saying we're taking the flag back. It's part of our constitutional representation.' Mental health therapist 'I want to represent my Mexican culture, but I'm an American as well,' said said Sanchez, whose flag bore the images of the US flag and Mexican flag side by side Seventeen-year-old high school student Miles wore a sandwich board reading '$30M TAKEN FROM OUR MILITARY'. Urie's board said 'IT'S NOT ABOUT LEFT VS RIGHT. IT'S ABOUT RIGHT VS WRONG'. Despite the seemingly overwhelmingly pro-Trump orientation of the crowd, the pair said they had received a positive reception from some soldiers. 'People said they appreciated us making our view known,' Miles said. Miles, 64, and Urie, 74, traveled from Vermon 'America does not do military parades like this,' he said. 'Everything is just authoritarianism. He's try to create chaos and become a dictator.' 'This is the nation's capital. This is exactly where we need to protest.' Army veteran, 40, who served in Iraq
