By Baru Bian (Sarawak PKR chief)
It was with more than a touch of cynicism that I read
about Prime Minister Najib Razak's assurance to the people that the government
remains committed to the 1Malaysia philosophy and will ensure that every
citizen has a place under the Malaysian sun.
Caption: Baru (centre, front row) holding a "MansukAktaHasutan" campaign banner with young Sarawak PKR lawyers.
It is easy to say
the right things, especially when reading from a prepared script, but we have
been witnessing so many instances of perceived repression and selective
persecution by the authorities that it only makes the PM’s assurance sound
sadly insincere.
The relentless charging of opposition politicians and
even academics for sedition during the past few weeks suggests a crackdown by
the government against voices of dissent, reminiscent of Ops Lalang.
The lame statement by the PM’s office that sedition
charges are a ‘court-matter’ and nothing to do with the government was met with
sarcasm and incredulity. The PM and his officers should give the citizens some
credit for intelligence and think carefully before feeding us with such inane excuses.
Besides, the PM had insisted that the Sedition Act will
be repealed – he even said it on the BBC in London last year. Why are the
authorities still laying charges under this outdated act if it is to be
repealed?
If the PM is serious about moderation and the 1Malaysia
concept, let him speak up on issues that are truly a threat to our harmony and
unity.
One such incidence is the Jemaah ISIS calling for the
people of Sabah and Sarawak to be slaughtered because they are ‘kapir’
(infidel), and insulting the ‘semi-naked’ Dayaks in Sarawak. These seditious
and racist remarks are intended to cause hatred and instability amongst the
races.
Why are these Jemaah ISIS people not being arrested for
sedition and criminal intimidation?
Then there was the incident where PERMAS and other
Council of Islamic NGOs at their chicken blood and ‘Reward for Slapping Teresa
Kok’ stunt in February called for non-Bahasa Malaysia speaking people to leave
Malaysia.
No-one from these groups was charged for their shocking
actions – in fact, the Home Minister freely shared his opinion that the threat
to slap Teresa Kok was not an offence.
The Malay/Islamic supremacist groups in this country have
become bolder in their outrageous behavior and their hate-inciting tirades
because our leadership has been pandering to them, fearful about offending
them.
The fact that they are now training their sights of the
Borneo states and our people should be a warning sign to the PM and his
ministers.
Our indigenous people have been here longer than some of
these extremist racists have been in Peninsula Malaysia. Some of our people who
live in the interior still speak their own languages and no Bahasa Malaysia.
Where do these arrogant extremists think our people should go?
This land is our land and we will not be bullied by
ignorant racists and bigots.
The people of Sabah and Sarawak have been marginalized
and disenfranchised for decades. Do we now have to put up with insults from
people who have benefitted from our sacrifices?
Just last week, there were reports that the army had
rejected outright Dayak applicants just because they had tattoos. Although the
Army Commander said that there is no such law, there was no denial that such
practices were actually carried out.
This has caused much unhappiness among our Dayak
community. All these incidences are giving the secessionist groups’
justification for their cause and attracting support for them. The authorities
should take note.
Our Home Minister has consistently been reported and now
appears to be a minister for only select groups of people, judging from the
statements he has been making and the statements of others he has been echoing.
Calling other races arrogant (or insolent) is fine for
those like him, but opposition members and academics are hauled up and charged
for saying perfectly harmless things. This assault on the people’s freedom of
expression is a retrograde move which will backfire on the PM’s government.
If the PM is really serious about 1Malaysia, he should
start behaving like the PM for all and show some real leadership.
It is clear as day that the authorities are practising
selective persecution while the PM chooses to remain silent on these
inflammatory and divisive matters.
His so called elegant silence ceased to be elegant many moons
ago and is now only pathetically deafening and dismal. While other neighbouring
countries are progressing and prospering, Malaysia is regressing to the dark
ages of repression, persecution and intimidation with the added aggravation of
hateful actions by emboldened religious bigots and racists.
Is the hopeless and emasculated leadership going to allow
this country to self-destruct and burn? Or will they cease harassing opposition
members and right-minded citizens and start taking serious steps to stop the
dangerous racial and religious bullying by the bigots? Is this too much to ask
from the BN leaders? - Sept 5, 2014
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