An adviser to former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad says people of his country are no more afraid of pouring into the streets to protest.
Malaysians are no more scared of the armed security forces and threats of racial rebellions or the Communist devil, as protests by the Malaysian people last Saturday testify, Matthias Chang told IRNA on Tuesday.
On Saturday, Malaysians staged demonstrations in the capital city of Kuala Lumpur, calling for electoral reforms ahead of the general elections expected early next year.
According to witnesses, hundreds of thousands of Malaysians took part in the Saturday protest, during which hundreds of them, including a number of prominent opposition figures, were arrested by the police at the Merdeka (Independence) Square in downtown Kuala Lumpur.
Chang also said even those Malaysians who did not take part in the protests praised the ones who participated in the rallies despite the danger of being detained.
Malaysia is different from Tunisia, Egypt, Bahrain, and Yemen, but the people's disappointment and the need to express their disapproval is a common threat in Malaysia and other Arab nations, Chang pointed out.
The Malaysian opposition is seeking reforms that will prevent some people from being allowed to vote several times during elections. The opposition says it could have won the 2008 vote if the election law was fairer.
In recent months, a wave of revolutions and anti-government uprisings has swept the Arab world.
In January, a revolution in Tunisia ended the despotic rule of former President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.
In February, another revolution led to the ouster of the US-backed Egyptian ruler Hosni Mubarak following three decades of authoritarian rule.
Other uprisings have erupted in Libya, Yemen and Bahrain.
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