IN a Twitter post, Bangi MP Syahredzan Johan has highlighted the fact while the opposition is trying to create tension, Pakatan Harapan (PH) need not fall into such trap if the coalition can stick with the “Madani (civil society) agenda”.
The tweet by the first-term DAP lawmaker and former political secretary to now retired DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang has sparked a debate among netizens concerning what some see as a lack of response from the PH coalition in the wake of a massive campaign of slander and fake news against Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and the unity government.
Others, however, were not so supportive of the manner PH handled leaders from the opposition camp. They questioned why PH is suppressing freedom of speech.
Netizen Nani Neijie (@NaniNeijie) wanted PH to show more grit in its response to the numerous slanderous charges levelled upon the opposition against the unity government. More importantly, there is a need for the coalition to be more visible in their counter efforts.
“Words alone are not good enough. What has been the action by the government to counter the slander?” asked Nani Neijie. “The state elections are near and the opponents have already started their campaign while poking here and there. What about PH?”
Netizen johanan puthucheary (@idonoe) opined that instead of acting maturely by looking after the best interests of the nation, the opposition has allowed “despicable politics to be at play”.
“We have clowns and charlatans who would do anything and everything, create trouble and sow suspicion, misuse religious norms, heighten xenophobic arrows,” he claimed.
But not everyone was concerned with the fate of the PH alone. Some were unhappy with the way the unity government is handling the opposition.
Netizen Amin (@draminmuslan) warned that if truly PH has embarked on political persecution against the opposition, then this “will only spread the fire that will require a big blast to stop”.
“This is not Madani but the latest versions of the ‘law of the jungle’. When will Malaysia understand that to stop corruption you need to punish the giver too?” asked Amin.
Meanwhile, [email protected] (@kiddiffthots1) lamented what has the cancelled “Malay Proclamation” gathering that was meant to take place yesterday (March 19) but cancelled at the eleventh hour has to do with the event needing “the support of all races”.
“Why deny freedom of speech? Why suppressed the convention? Why fear any community’s declaration? Hypocrisy to the max!” claimed the netizen. – March 20, 2023
