PERHAPS Prime Minister (PM) Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim needs to be more specific by defining who he meant by “extremists” who deliberately fan the sensitive 3R (race, religion and royalty) sentiments to sow discord among Malaysians.
To begin with, veteran journalist and blogger Datuk A. Kadir Jasin wondered if Anwar ever knew who the extremists were in order to nail them.
“The target of the PM’s stern warning is becoming more clearly directed at certain parties when he said: ‘In fact, in discussions with the Malay Kings urged that the country be rescued from groups that are so desperate to defend power so that they are willing to sacrifice the interests of the people and cause chaos and division’,” the former Bersatu supreme council member penned in a recent Facebook page.
“So beware lest we non-partisan, non-extremists get thrown into the ‘extremist’ category and get punished solely for rebuking the government or supporting the opposition.”
Whatever the case is, the former editor-in-chief of the mainstream New Straits Times stressed that this doesn’t mean that issues related to kings, religion and race are out of bounds or “cannot be touched at all”.
“What is prohibited is to incite and fan until unplaced anger and hatred arise,” suggested Kadir who claimed to be a Pakatan Harapan (PH) supporter but has in recent times been accused of ‘parroting’ or slanting towards his ‘political master’ Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
“But what happens if the anger and hatred are well-placed? People have the right to feel angry and being hateful I there is misconduct, injustice and tyranny in matters relating to king, religion and race. In fact, not only in the three areas that but in all matters.”
In this regard, Kadir reminded Anwar that he has for so long been posing as a hero of the oppressed, a democrat and a scholar.
“He certainly wouldn’t make a U-turn into an autocrat, let alone a dictator by blocking civil liberties,” Kadir pointed out. “What we do not want is for any side to use the name of kings, religions and nations to power or seek protection.” – July 14, 2023
Main photo credit: Anwar Ibrahim’s Facebook
