WHETHER it was a joke or otherwise, there is no denying that Kedah Menteri Besar Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor has demeaned the dead and the living.
What is more demeaning than insulting the dead and the families of the deceased by suggesting that dead bodies can be thrown into containers?
Of course, when anger started to mount against Sanusi for this insult, he took the convenient way by saying that it was joke, something normal between him and the press.
Yet his special officer went ahead and made police reports against persons who criticised Sanusi for demeaning the dead and their families.
Joke or no joke, the head of Kedah state is not someone that is expected to make fun about the deceased.
The dead are sacrosanct in all cultures. They are meant to be respected, last rites given and buried or cremated with religious blessings.
No politician or leader worthy of his name can disrespect the dead or their grieving families.
Sanusi’s remark was a terrible insult to the families who are suffering and grieving as a result of the passing away of the loved ones.
It goes to show that Sanusi is crude, uncouth and above all uncaring about the people in his state suffering as result of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The worst part of the “dead bodies in containers” episode is the reaction of the police.
Sanusi made a bad joke, he was criticised in the social media not by one or four but by hundreds and thousands of irritated citizens.
Subsequently, police reports were made by Sanusi’s special officer.
Rather than issuing warning to social media users for exceeding their limits in the criticisms of Sanusi, the police went on an arresting spree, netting four individuals.
If the police dragnet is cast wide, more arrests might be in the offing. But the police might not have the capacity to arrest hundreds or thousands of critics.
However, I don’t think they can do this – it would amount to sheer madness. The police do not have the eyes and ears of a panopticon structure to engage in total surveillance.
Criticisms of politicians are normal in societies that are deemed democratic, especially since nobody is above the law, including politicians especially those in power.
Sanusi is not a stranger to controversies. Apparently he thrives on them to the extent that he feels like he can insult and demean others.
Given this, I wonder why the police gave special attention to Sanusi to the extent of arresting and possibly charging people under the phalanx of laws available.
I think that the police have more important things to do rather than waste their manpower and financial resources to go after the critics of Sanusi.
He is not worth protecting at all. In fact, he is a burden on the political system. Sanusi in fact asked for it by making fun of the dead. He insulted and disparaged the grieving families.
I would think that the police should contemplate actions against Sanusi for demeaning the dead and living. If he has any self-respect or dignity, he should resign from being the MB of Kedah. – Aug 11, 2021
Ramasamy Palanisamy is the state assemblyperson for Perai. He is also deputy chief minister II of Penang.
The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia.
