THE New World Order is a conspiracy theory that hypothesises an emerging totalitarian world government.

It is about a secretive group of power elites conspiring to eventually rule the world via an authoritarian one-world government, replacing sovereign nation-states.

Many influential figures are alleged to be part of a cabal that operates through many front organisations to orchestrate significant political and financial events, to push through controversial policies at both national and international levels.

At the moment, I am not worried about it happening but more worried about our “New Malaysian Order”, which, in my opinion, has already happened.

Covid-19 has changed how I and people look at things.

We had lockdowns, during which we fought over bread, university graduates became delivery boys and girls and M40 households descended to B40.

We were not allowed to visit our parents, families and loved ones who succumbed to the virus. We could not even touch our nose and mouth without washing our hands.

The next new order is when we changed governments without going through elections and had a cabinet bigger than most classrooms – and whose members get pensions when they leave.

Many politicians managed to secure high-paying jobs with pretty perks during in the past two years, while many people had to withdraw whatever is left in their EPF accounts.

What I am most worried about is the legal arena. Just look at the enforcement of judgments and obligation acceptance.

A housewife found guilty of stealing food and two boxes of coffee is sentenced to a day’s jail and fined RM1,200; a single father found guilty of stealing 18 packets of Milo is sentenced to three months’ jail; and, a young man who tried to steal mosque funds was “bathed like a corpse”, sentenced to 10 days’ jail and fined RM4,000.

But a Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission officer found guilty of misappropriating US$6.94 million (RM30.3 million) is sentenced to only three years’ jail and two lashes of the cane.

These principles of retribution, rehabilitation and deterrence do not seem to apply on big-scale crimes. Lawmakers have to revisit the penal provisions.

The High Incidence of Judicial Errors in Capital Punishment Cases in Malaysia paper concluded that the inconsistency of court judgments is emphasised by the high judicial error rate. It was published in October 2018.

On average, 27.7% of High Court and 50% of Court of Appeal death penalty case judgments are overturned by the immediate higher court. The myth that having more appeal hearings will lead to consistent and less-error prone judgments does not hold water.

With all these new orders, should we not have new standard operating procedures? What say you? – May 6, 2022.

* Saleh Mohammed 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.