When Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi became Prime Minister 45 months ago, he invited Malaysians to speak up and pledged to “hear the truth, however unpleasant”, from the people.

Wee had acted on Abdullah’s invitation and spoken up about the injustices and wrongs in Malaysia 50 years after Merdeka so that the country could be improved to become a better nation capable of competing with the rest of the world.

Instead of a “thank you” from the Prime Minister, Wee is now the target of a sledgehammer attack by the entire government machinery led by a cohort of Umno Cabinet Ministers orchestrating a campaign to demonise, criminalize and crush him.

The very spectacle of the entire state machinery led by Cabinet Ministers to crush a 24-year-old undergraduate for his rap on internet conjures an image of shame for Malaysia on the occasion of the 50th Merdeka anniversary, both nationally and internationally.

Is the campaign to demonise, criminalize and crush Wee, with irrational, excessive and outrageous demands of prosecutions under the National Anthem Act, the Sedition Act and even the Internal Security Act, the stripping of citizenship, the cancellation of passport and extradition of Wee from Taiwan to Malaysia, the signal of the end of another one of Abdullah’s reform pledges when becoming Prime Minister 45 months ago — to “hear the truth” from the people?

As I informed the Malaysian Dialogue in Petaling Jaya yesterday afternoon, Wee can be faulted for his rough language, irreverent expression and lack of sensitivity when touching on religious matters, but he cannot be accused of being unpatriotic, disloyal or guilty of the capital crime of treason or sedition.

Wee had done what very few Malaysians had done, taking the national flag Jalur Gemilang with him when he went overseas to study, and waving the national flag when his multi-national university sports team won a game, showing his pride and love for the nation.

Which Umno Minister or leader demanding for a pound of flesh from Wee for his Negarakuku rap had such love and pride for the country as to take the national flag with him or her when going overseas?

It is a disgrace that the Cabinet last week spent a lot of time to discuss Wee’s case neglecting the many important national issues plaguing the country, particularly rising crime and worsening corruption. What is even more shocking, no Cabinet Minister had time to listen to the grievances of Malaysians articulated by Wee in his Negarakuku rap but only how to demonise, criminalize and crush Wee.

The Negarakuku rap video clip on YouTube has doubled to almost 2.5 million hits because of the irrational and outrageous Cabinet decision last Wednesday, reeking with double standards when extracting an apology from Wee and yet refusing to put the issue to rest by insisting that Wee face the full consequences of the law.

The Cabinet on Wednesday should end the persecution mania against 24-year-old undergraduate Wee Meng Chee and instead listen diligently to the legitimate grievances of Malaysians expressed in Wee’s Negarakuku rap.

Last night’s capacity turn-out at the DAP forum at the KL-Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall, organized at less than 48 hours’ notice and which had to be moved from the first-floor hall to a larger second-floor theatre because of the overflowing crowd, represents a clear message from the people that the high-level irrational campaign to demonise, criminalize and crush Wee Meng Chee should stop immediately.

The 400 people at the forum had earlier unanimously put up their hands to demonstrate solidarity with Wee and to demand immediate end to the campaign to demonise, criminalize and crush Wee.

Later, they also unanimously put up their hands when I asked whether they love the National Flag, the national anthem and the country and regard themselves as patriots.

Abdullah should salvage his pledge “to hear the truth, however unpleasant” from the people. Start by listening to the grievances of Malaysians rapped by Wee, whose love and patriotism for the national flag, national anthem and the country must not be questioned, as they are second to none in Malaysia.