Al Jazeera: Here is now joining us on the phone is Malaysia’Information Minister Zainudin Maidin. There were very violent scenes we saw earlier today. How can you justify your strength of response to peaceful protests?
Zainuddin Maidin: That is your interpretation of violence is not violence. Your man, your journalist trying to project, exaggerate more than what actually happened; that’s it. We are laughing; congratulate your journalist behaving like an actor, very good actor.
Al Jazeera:: As you are saying that so, we are watching scenes of protesters (Interrupting: Yeah, I am watching, I hear) being sprayed with Chemical filled water?
Zainuddin Maidin : It is not as what you have been trying to do this, to do it everywhere but in Malaysia people are laugh you, We know our Police at last have allowed the procession to go to Istana Negara, you know. Do Police, First Police might be handled them with tear gas. Police don’t, don’t fire anybody.
Al Jazeera: Our correspondent came back to our office with chemicals in his eyes
Zainuddin Maidin : This is the way, your idea is that what you are trying to project what is your mind, you think we Pakistan, we are Burma, we are Myanmar. Your thinking
Al Jazeera: Well unfortunately when you refused to let people to protest, it does appear so
Zainuddin Maidin: That is why we are not like you. That is why you have early perception. You come here and you want to project us as like undemocratic country. This is a democratic country.
Al Jazeera: So why can’t people protest then if it is a democratic country?
Zainuddin Maidin: People protest. First they protest. We are allowing protest and they have demonstrated. But when we try to disperse them, and then later they don’t disperse, later our Police compromise. They have compromised and allowed them to go to Istana Negara. Police, our Police have succeeded in handling them gently, right? Why don’t you report that and you take the opposition, someone from the opposition party, you asked him to speak; you don’t take from the Government, right
Al Jazeera: Why did you not break up these protesters more peacefully?
Zainuddin Maidin: Pardon, pardon
Al Jazeera: Why did you not break up these protests more peacefully?
Zainuddin Maidin: I can’t hear you. I can’t hear you.
Al Jazeera: Why did you not break up these protests more peacefully?
Zainuddin Maidin: No, we are, first this is illegal. We don’t want, normally this demonstration..
Al Jazeera:: OK, let me return to my former question: why is the protest illegal?
Zainuddin Maidin: Yeah it is illegal. First is because (Why?) we have the election in Malaysia. No point of having a protest. We are allowing, we have an election every five years, never fail. We are not like Myanmar, not like other country. And you are helping these. You at Al Jazerra also is helping these, these forces. You know these forces who are not in fashion, who don’t believe in democracy
Al Jazeera: Many thanks for joining us.
Zainuddin Maidin: Yes that is Al Jazeera Attitude, right
