‘I feel less safe now than during Najib’s time' - Wong Chen
His remarks follow a series of high-profile attacks and threats targeting political figures and their families.
SHAH ALAM – Subang MP Wong Chen has raised significant concerns over public safety, stating that he feels less secure as a politician today than under previous administrations.
His remarks follow a series of high-profile attacks and threats targeting prominent figures and their families.
Wong pointed to incidents such as the acid attack on national and Selangor FC winger Faisal Halim and the assault on the son of former Economy Minister Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli, as evidence that current law enforcement measures may be insufficient in handling serious threats.
The attack on Faisal, which occurred on May 5, 2024, at a shopping mall, left the athlete with second-degree burns.
In a separate incident last year, Rafizi’s 12-year-old son was attacked in a car park in Putrajaya. Rafizi subsequently revealed that his wife had received threatening messages following the assault, including one that appeared to threaten the child with an intentional illness infection.
Against this backdrop, Wong argued that political violence appears to have escalated compared to the eras of former prime ministers Datuk Seri Najib Razak and Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
“Personally, I feel less safe as an MP now than I was during Najib Razak's time or Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s time. This kind of thing never really happened before,” he told Sinar Daily in an upcoming episode of Fireside Chat.
Wong pointed out that while politicians expect to face criticism, the targeting of family members represents a worrying and unprecedented escalation in hostility.
“We expect when we go into politics that people will attack us, but attacking our children is a new level.
“I urge the government to take this seriously and find solutions,” he said.
He also highlighted the public frustration surrounding the lack of progress in the investigation into the attack on Rafizi’s child, noting the emotional strain this places on parents.
“Rafizi is very angry that nothing is being done. I can understand the frustration, not just as an MP but as a father,” Wong added.
While Wong clarified that he was not directly blaming the Home Ministry for the rise in violence, he stressed that law enforcement agencies must improve their performance in high-profile cases.
“I don’t think this reflects the Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail per se. But he is ultimately responsible; the buck stops with him as minister,” Wong stated.
He concluded by urging the police to increase investigation speed and transparency to restore public confidence in law and order.
“The police need to do a lot more. Some are doing their best, others are not. I don’t know how high this issue goes, but it is eroding public confidence that law and order is being properly enforced,” he said.
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