Arrests on dissent have to end now as they are undemocratic and uncalled for on the part of the Royal Malaysian Police and the government.

The Coalition for Good Governance (CGG) condemns the arrests of Wong Chin Huat, Mohamad Sabu and three activists who attempted to deliver a cake to the Prime Minister's Office and the arbitrary arrests of over 50 citizens in Perak last week.

In April 2009, Mohd Najib Tun Razak succeeded Abdullah Ahmad Badawi as the prime minister of the nation. He has promised to make big changes in the ruling party of Umno and to the nation but increasingly his model of democracy is being challenged.

The Royal Malaysian Police and the government have time and again prevented the public from displaying their feelings over the unconstitutional Perak takeover and the Altantuya issue.

During the last three by-elections which ended on April 7, political parties were barred from bringing up a number of controversial issues during their electoral campaigns. These included the murder of Altantuya Shaariibuu and the decision made by the Perak monarchy.

During the Kuala Terengganu by-election, five members from a political party's youth wing were arrested for putting up pictures of Altantuya Shaariibuu.

The citizens of Malaysia have been fighting for their rights - whether it is for the conservation of the forests, or for the landless labourers or for their civil liberty rights. Those who are arrested are fighting for the enforcement of basic rights - their right to speak and to have an opinion.

The new government under Najib must realise that the people are in fact fighting for the enforcement of the fundamental rights and directives principles enshrined in our constitution.

The question that the government needs to answer is: Do they need to engage in such arbitrary arrests? Is this violent way the only way to enforce constitutional rights of citizens?

History is repeating itself. Whenever there are dissenting voices and disagreement with government policies and actions, bans are used, arrests are made, and draconian laws used to justify the need to suppress dissension.

This is indeed a dangerous trend as it only manifests how the state moves towards becoming more and more authoritarian, closing democratic spaces for all democratic activities.

Political problems cannot be solved through repression. The people's aspirations cannot be crushed by state violence. That is the lesson we can learn from history from the time of our national emergency till today. And, we must learn from our own history.

These suppressive actions violate Malaysians' human rights and puts into serious question the sincerity of the new government led by Najib to work towards democratic reforms.

Freedom of expression and freedom of assembly are the fundamental rights of a human being and are guaranteed under our federal constitution. Until and unless these people and all ISA detainees are released, the prime minister's concept of '1Malaysia' will remain as an empty speech.

The political crisis in Perak has to be resolved by the people of Perak. We urge the government and the Sultan of Perak to dissolve the Perak state assembly immediately to let the people elect their own state government.

The writer is chairperson, Coalition for Good Governance (CGG).