The above title is not one which I hope I had to pen but unfortunately, I have seen some bloggers taking opportunity of making extra money from traffic by simply commenting. What do I mean by those who simply comments? Those are the people who had no idea how Malaysia politics is being panned out nor the world politics. No sense of history and no idea how civilisation was formed.
I see those who said that the arrest of an 11 year old seems cruel but in reality, it is back to the story of how nur jazelin was abducted and killed and the world pointed fingers at the murderer. No doubt the murderer is an asshole and hope that he will burn in hell but the reality is the parents are at fault. No sane parents would allow their little ones to play unsupervised no matter how busy they are. If they are that busy and has no back up plans to look after the children, DO NOT give birth to them in the first place. Why have kids if you can’t look after them?
In this case, it is the same. Who in their right mind would ask children to take LEAD in a supposedly peaceful march. Peaceful yes. Their objectives, I sympathise and believed that they are right to demand certain benefits. But their actions? As per my previous post, I think it is very wrong for the HINDRAF movement to use children. Which parents would allow their children to be used? Sure the police might be wrong. Just like the murderer in Nur Jazelin’s case. But hang on, what about the parents? I believe that the HINDRAF movement might lose a lot of its meaning if it had to resort to evil tactics to get their message across. In some ways, it is the devil vs the devil.
You think western countries do not use water cannon to disperse crowds? You think HINDRAF movement leaders do not know that the police is most likely to use water cannon once again? Of course they do, and they want to score political points especially in view of the coming election. But they have definitely lose my respect. Nonetheless to be fair, I still believe in the foundations of which they are fighting for. Just need a better tactic, maybe like Gandhi or Mandela.
An model political blogger should refrain from telling people whom they should vote for. Rather they should inform the masses that each parties have their pros and cons. Come on, Malaysia is not a warlord countries like some in Africa. Neither are we as democratic as Thailand (are we less or more?) as soon in recent Thailand’s election where as long as the people supports you, you are back in power. But by saying that the government is run by dumbos, is as good as saying the 90% of the people who voted for the “dumbos” are the dumbos themselves. Come on, give me a break.
The government can win and had been winning because they work together. As per my previous post, I believe that there are good calibre leaders in the oppositions for them to form a government even. Just look at how Kelantan had been surviving for the last 20 years. For someone like me who has businesses in Kelantan, let me tell you, the PAS government is as good as BN in working the state. Though the objectives are very different. PAS is a more relaxed government who places things other than economics as their main priority which is why PAS Kelantan is growing at a much slower pace. But if you look at happiness index, I doubt the Kelantanese would tell you that they are less happy than someone in Kuala Lumpur who had been getting the most growth. The Kelantanese people are a happy lot.
The government has its fair share of idiots running the show. Badawi no doubt has a lot in his hand to give Malaysians some faith back in his previous promises to Malaysia. Perhaps a good conclusion to the Lingam’s case would provide some much needed boost of confidence back into our legal system. Perhaps a close in the Mongolian model case would give us some breathers back and making Malaysia a less corrupted place. Perhaps the murderer of the chinese boy would be brought back to paddock to ensure a more equitable hearing could be heard. All these and much more.
Don’t give me craps about highlighting and bolding the word UMNO and putting in as many political party names would give credibility to the issues at hand. And frankly, with the herded mentality of some readers, they would probably praise the lord that someone had said something bad about the government. Allow me to remind everyone once again. The election is not about spreading malicious lies and rumours. You may be locked up under ISA. The election is about who can manage our country for the next 5 years. The election is not about saying the government is the best. The election is about giving good and accurate information so that you, who owns ONE vote, which is equal to my ONE vote, will be able to make a difference. And I am sure, your brain and my brain are equal, and won’t be misled by those who provides childish information. And remember it is fools like them who makes the internet a dangerous place and one where the government will think only anti-government blogosphere exists. Be fair and accurate in what information you provide.
So, do you then think that the use of ISA is justified for spreading of malicious lies and rumours? Under the ISA, there is no trial. Therefore, there is no determination of whether the facts presented were the truth or mere malicious lies and rumours. So, please don’t use or advise your readers that “you may be locked up under ISA” when the ISA itself is draconian and prone to political abuse. Malaysians ought to come out of their shell, read extensively and use their brains to think and assess what are truths and what are lies rather than just listening to one-sided views from the BN politicians.
pablo: Frankly, from my own personal perspective, i think ISA is a draconian law. But in a twisted sort of way, I have so far seen its usefulness outweights its weaknesses. Nobody would want to be locked up without trial and the use of it usually comes with heavy hearted. Believe me when I say there is not one PM who would use it as if it is a political tool to overcome its rivals.
Seriously, I would still advice readers that they can be locked up under ISA if they spread rumours like wildfire, which is a practice I do not encourage. I have seen incidents of people who create rumours and sent KL packing for a few days during the previous reformasi period. If you look at how some bloggers have blogged about the recent election, you will notice how they can be quite insensitive. Being a legal person yourself, I am sure you know what I mean. Oppose ISA for what it is but provide deep thoughts regarding the use of it. USA, UK and Australia have all implemented similar ISA laws.
As a legal person, I believe that those who were arrested and put to detention under ISA ought to be put on trial and the charges against them be proven. We are talking about personal liberty here and though I would agree that ISA would not be used without any reason in the first place (the detainees would have done something to elicit a detention order), it is arguable whether what these detainees have done threatens national security. The interpretation for threat to national security should be the Court’s sole prerogative after both sides (prosecution and defence) have given their side of the story and evidence.
The fact that some other countries have similar laws does not mean that it is right. In those countries, I believe (and I am only guessing and stand corrected) they came into full use after 9/11 and were used primarily against alleged terrorists who are plotting to kill but in our country, it is more often used against those who speak out against the government’s policies as well as groups who practice religion differently (I am talking about those alleged to be deviant Muslims). Quite obviously and in a general speaking way (which I would stand corrected again), these ISA detainees are not out to kill the people as compared to those in similar fate in the US, UK and Australia. It points out that these detainees in Malaysia threatens the political survival of those in power and what better way (as available) to just snuff out their voices by putting them to detention without trial.
pablo: in most instances, during Mahathir era, ISA was used best in Ops Lallang where many leaders from all races were detained. I remember being a school kid then, I was rather frightened as my parents tried very hard to educate me if anything happen, stay in school. The racial tension was very high then. Something a lot of people in our current generations do not get to see. Fact is, if your parents had come experienced the may 13th 69 incident, they too would somehow in a twisted and perverted way, agree that ISA might be a good thing.
The ISA ruling used on HINDRAF5 was in someways similar to what had happened. There is no law currently for the authority to charge them with. ISA is not the best way to detain these 5 people, to that I agree. But I see no other alternatives. Factually, I do not like ISA, but unless it had been abused by the current government or any future government for that matter, I would still think that ISA has its place in our Malaysia Legal system.
I believe every country is much alike George Orwell Animal farms. With better awareness, the people will swift away from Animal farm, with less awareness, the society will march towards it.
As for the ISA draconian rules, it is mean for abuse. Like a card OUTSIDE a stack of poker games,I doubt it is a “necessary” because the card itself are evil. It merely a swing of freedom vs security.
Thomas Jefferson has say, “Those who desire to give up freedom in order to gain security will not have, nor do they deserve, either one.”
And Malaysia independent are just a solid example of freedom vs British colonial “security”.
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To the voting issue, I will vote but I don’t believe on it, thanks to gerrymandering and lack of local councils election. Without the councils election, the country will just slowly fall apart.
What make the flood return to Johor as annual events or even biannual “festival”? None other than lack of coordination of local councils vs state government.
moo_t: thanks for your deeper thoughts on the issue at hand. But you must realise if the blogosphere is anything to go by, Malaysia still has the herded mentality. Tell me how many anti-governments blog are online and how many pro-government? And tell me if the government has really been abusing ISA? in the case of HINDRAF 5 I had a feeling ISA will be used given the sensitive nature of the issues at hand.
No doubt our government might not be the best at hand to wrestle some of the issues which had been bothering us but I think putting the vote down against the government in your case at least would have shown that you do not agree with them.
The ISA has certainly been abused.
Why has it not been used against the actual people that have been threatening violence, which are mostly the UMNO leaders, especially in 1986?
Come 2007, it’s quite twisted that the people who are threatening violence (according to Najib, the Kg. Baru citizens) are putting the people who are being threatened (Hindraf leaders) in ISA right?
Like pablopabla says, there is a court of law in Malaysia. If you can prove the wrongdoings of the people, prosecute them in a trial.