DID you ever wonder why racism and religious extremism were even more rife under Pakatan Harapan than they were under Barisan Nasional? For a coalition that fought for a diverse and multiracial Malaysia, that cried for change from the tyranny of the previous BN regime, did you not find it incredulous that such hateful sentiments thrived right under Pakatan’s very nose?
Well, racism and religious extremism increased during Pakatan’s rule not because the now fallen government supported or endorsed them. Pakatan wanted a complete departure from the oppressive days of BN, and that’s exactly why they firmly upheld democratic freedoms – of which freedom of speech and expression were cornerstones of their administration.
More than just paying lip service, Pakatan walked the talk. Unlike its despotic predecessor BN, Pakatan did not threaten, harass or intimidate the press. Neither did it bring down the force of law against ordinary citizens. Pakatan most certainly never utilised its newfound powers to silence or terrorise political opponents or critics, which was the infamous hallmark of the BN regime.
Under Pakatan, political cartoonists like Zunar and graphic artists like Fahmi Reza had peace. They were not persecuted simply because the authorities couldn’t deal with a little parody or satire. Newspapers like The Edge had peace: their licences did not get suspended just because their coverage threw the government in an unfavourable light.
Online news portals like Malaysiakini and The Malaysian Insight had peace: websites weren’t attacked or blocked by Pakatan simply because they criticised the coalition. Journalists had peace: they could report the news without fear or favour. Ordinary Malaysians had peace: they didn’t have to agonise about getting arrested and charged over peacefully protesting with yellow balloons.
In fact, even long-standing enemies like Umno and PAS had the peace to speak their minds without being dragged to court for trumped-up charges, or put behind bars for sedition or “threatening national security and public order”. Due to significantly relaxed press freedoms under Pakatan, these parties and their hardcore supporters took advantage of the new climate to freely advance their own racist and extremist agendas.
Knowing full well that Pakatan would not launch a brutal crackdown against them the way former prime minister Najib Razak did against his opponents, Umno got to work right after it lost the 2018 general election, doing everything it could to fan racial flames. The scandal-mired party smeared Pakatan with endless lies, slander and half-truths, and tirelessly spread divisive rhetoric to turn Malays against non-Malays.
Certainly, it knew very well that inciting hatred and breeding mistrust between the different races were the most effective ways to divide and conquer the nation; a lesson it learnt superbly well from the British. Umno had one goal – to use and capitalise all the resentment it built up to set the perfect stage for the ultimate betrayal of the people’s mandate – the political coup of February 29, now infamous the world over.
Pakatan wanted to be radically different from BN, but perhaps, it gave the country too much freedom too soon. Ironically, this was one of the strongest reasons that led to its undoing. A government that genuinely upholds freedom of speech and freedom of expression cannot selectively grant them to certain segments of the population; it would have been undemocratic. But, give people too much freedom, and they abuse it. Restrict their freedom, and be painted as authoritarian and no better than BN. Thus, Pakatan was stuck in the middle. Striking a healthy balance between the two is like navigating crocodile-infested waters: take a single wrong step and you’re eaten alive.
But, now that Pakatan is gone, so are the freedoms we so dearly held on to. You can safely bet on this: racism and religious extremism will rage on even more under PN. But this time, it is because the government we did not vote for glorifies them. – May 17, 2020.
* Lara Ling reads The Malaysian Insight.
* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.
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Comments
Posted 3 years ago by Lucky Boy · Reply
IMO, a lot of these racism and religious extremism during the PH era were "manufactured" through the abuse of power by the ex-PM and his political party to be ...... more Malay than UMNO ... and .... more Muslim than PAS .... to attract "frogging" from the then opposition to increase his and his party's power to be dominant in PH (akin to UMNO in BN).
It may be the real reason for the non-enactment of the "anti-hopping" law which spectacularly boomeranged.
One can deduce from many examples. Suffice to quote one. Zakir Naik! He behaved the way he did because of support from Mahathir. NOW there isn't even a whimper from him!!!
Posted 3 years ago by Malaysian First · Reply
Posted 3 years ago by Malaysian First · Reply
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Simple examples :
1. Malays and muslim do not eat pork neither drink alcohol.
2. Chinese have their dinner early in the evening.
3. Indians are very family-oriented people.
4. Hindu temples ring their bells nearly at the same time as Maghrib prayer observed by muslims. (that's how their religions work).
5. Don't call your Christian friends on Sunday morning... they are at their respective Church.
6. Malays don't simply go to Chinese or Indian Temples just like that. There's an unwritten set boundary of respect. The muslims respect the non muslims religion. It is almost unheard that Malays and Muslims make a mockery or openly issued an indecent posting either regarding Chinese or Indian temples or on individual religious personality by poking fun on the leaders of the non muslims religions. Why? Because of the inherently high degree of toleration and respect by Muslims as taught by the religion of Islam.
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But when the Menteri Agama, who is a soft spoken highly respectable ex-Mufti was making a live presentation on TV, some non muslim viewers found it fit and dare to post indecent remarks publicly. The content the Muslim ministers presentation had nothing to do with other religions. He was simply telling the muslim viewers some information related to Covid-19, and how muslims should face and workaround the situation to prevent the disease from spreading in the community.
The unfriendly and rude comments posted by the non-muslims reveal clearly to us that those who made the postings are the enemy of the the muslims, who constitute the majority of the population in this country, and the enemy of the state, no matter who they are are. Think of the possible negative repercussions and the danger to the state, if the emotions among the muslim-majority run high against the hate-text writers!
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Whoever and wherever you are, either revealed or camouflaged, near or far, if you don't like Malaysia, please by all means pack your belongings and leave this country. This country is just not suitable for you. In fact, your presence and your potentials to create hatred, plant more discord and disharmony here in the peaceful and prosperous land of Malaysia, can bring us back many years behind in both spiritual and material development.
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Don't want to speak Bahasa Malaysia? That's fine. In Australia, US, New Zealand or even South Africa .. The citizens or permanent residents in those countries don't speak Bahasa Malaysia, not at least in their formal or official communications .. you can go there....
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It is just a shame and a nuisance to have such jokers wandering around this nation. As greedy opportunists , they were constantly looking for opportunities and they were forcing on the majority against the latters will ,to establish their own elusive identity outside their original motherland - pity them, they will never find it here in Malaysia.
Every part of the world has a dominant race which constitute the majority in those respective countries .. In North America, you can see the Caucasians as the majority, in India, of course the Indians, in China, the Chinese, in Nusantara, of course the Malays. Nothing out of the ordinary!
But it doesn't mean that other races can't get along with the majority and live peacefully here. If you feel you cannot live in harmony along with the majority here in Malaysia, please just stop rambling or behave like a rascal, just simply pace off and find a new home elsewhere, the place where you think highly and dream that you can get along for good, very simple. We will too, be happy for you!
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#bertolakansursudah
#bersabarsudah
#berkurangajarbelum
Posted 3 years ago by Ty Tiko · Reply
Posted 3 years ago by Bea Kay · Reply