Malaysians condemn the bombings and killings in Manchester, Mindanao and Jakarta but we must learn the lessons of these tragedies and horrors – we must not allow Malaysia to slide towards greater intolerance and extremism because of the racial and religious politics of lies, hate and fear.
Yesterday, Selangor DAP central committee member Edry Faizal Eddy Yusof lodged a police report over the death threats made against him on a hate-and-damn-DAP Facebook page.
As Edry said yesterday, differences in opinion are part of a healthy democracy, but not when it leads to extremists conjuring falsehoods and threatening a person’s safety.
He said: “We celebrate the freedom to hold differing opinions as long as it is not extreme to the extent of slandering and threatening the safety of another individual.
“I am confident that each Malaysian wants a life that is good and peaceful. The culture of thuggish politics, slander, and violent intimidation only worsens the poor conditions in our country.
“Such bad culture should be put to a stop.”
A day had passed but such irresponsible post threatening death and bodily harm to Edry and the hate-and-damn-DAP Facebook page “DAP Laknatullah” (Allah damns DAP) are not only still available, there is a new post mocking Edry for lodging the police report.
Imagine what would have happened if there is website entitled “UMNO Laknatullah” (Allah damns UMNO) carrying postings which were downright lies about UMNO leaders as well as carrying deaths threats to UMNO leaders, and there is a police report against them?
There is no doubt that within an hour or so, the police and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) would have swung into action and the “UMNO Laknatullah” site would have been taken down whether by those responsible for it or by the authorities concerned – and there would have been no new posting mocking the police report!
What does this incident indicate?
It would appear that that those behind the “DAP Laknatullah” (Allah damns DAP) FB page feel that they would not suffer any untoward consequences from the authorities, that on the contrary, they feel very confident and cocksure that they enjoy immunity and impunity for their dangerous and irresponsible behaviour because they enjoy powerful patronage and protection!
Are those responsible for the “DAP Laknatullah” FB page and postings right that they enjoy powerful patronage and protection?
DAP will never indulge in such irresponsible racial and religious politics of lies, hate and fear like “UMNO Laknatullah” website or FB pages, as it is such dissemination of hatred, distrust and animosities among races and religions which are the greatest threat to peace, harmony and progress not only in Malaysia but in the world!
If the government of Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, does not want to be guilty of double standards, he must ensure that the Malaysian government is equally guided by the Wasatiyyah (moderation) principles of justice, balance and excellence which he is preaching to the world in his Global Movement of Moderates (GMM) initiative – by firmly upholding the Golden Mean principles embedded in the Malaysian Constitution and Rukunegara!
This must mean no place or room for those who want the country to slide down the slippery slope of a failed and rogue state because of racial and religious politics of lies, hate and fear, including an effective halt to those who want to falsely frame the forthcoming 14th General Election as firstly a battle between the Chinese and the Malays, and secondly, a battle between Islam and the enemies of Islam.
The 14th General Election is a battle between Malaysians vs Malaysians – between those who want a democracy vs those who want a kleptocracy.
Can Malaysians expect swift action by the authorities, including MCMC, on Edry’s police report?
