LIVID over recent happenings in the country, former Law Minister Datuk Zaid Ibrahim lashed out at political leaders, especially of Malay origin, for their arrogance and hypocrisy in dealing with national issues.
“Fahmi Reza was arrested for sedition, on suspicion of trying to incite hatred against our royalty. For your information, Fahmi is a talented and celebrated artist. Not everyone has the creativity to pen satire like him.
“But what does our glorious Malay leadership do? They detain Fahmi. Perhaps they have little understanding of his satire. If they do understand, why the need to arrest him?
“Every satire and work of art are not that easy to understand. That is why it is important to understand the context first before acting. This is proof of our leaders’ arrogance,” he said, in a Facebook post.
Yesterday, Fahmi was released after being detained overnight. He arrested Fahmi for his jealousy-theme Spotify playlist, which was claimed to be insulting to the Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Hajah Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah.
The playlist featured 101 English and Malay songs by various artists, nearly all centred on jealousy.
Hurling brickbats against the authorities, Zaid also voiced out against the “period spot checks” conducted at several boarding and religious schools, adding the leadership choose to look the other way.
“They humiliate our students by harassing them, in the pretext of checking whether the former is menstruating or not. Degrading another human being is a non-issue for our leaders. Just another proof of how our Malay leaders have become super arrogant,” he added.
One rule for the elites, another for commoners
Zaid also decried Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka’s (DBP) decision to use the word “Tuhan” exclusively for Allah, saying it was also another feature of an arrogant leadership.
“But when non-Muslims want to use the word Allah, all hell breaks loose. So what word are the non-Muslims to use?” he asked.
Taking a swipe at PAS, the former Kota Bharu MP said he was amused on how the Islamist party is now working with Umno, the very party it called an “infidel outfit” in the past.
“They use to tell the Malays, if you don’t join them, they cannot enter Paradise. Those people also called Umno as an’ infidel party’.
“But today, our heroes are working very closely with the ‘infidel party’ using Emergency,” Zaid stated.
He added while all sorts of restrictions were imposed on the common people, political leaders have no qualms in indulging themselves on things which are deemed unlawful under Islam.
“They have no problems taking ‘sponsored’ trips to Mecca. Our leaders go haywire over Malays being featured on gambling advertisement.
“But they are very comfortable with policies that keep our Genting casino running and adding more slot machines in clubs.
“And they have no issues with adding more sweep stakes for lottery companies. Another example of an arrogant and hypocritical leadership,” Zaid lashed out.
On that note, Zaid said he was reminded of what an ustaz, named Daud, told him 60 years ago during his childhood on the significance of Ramadan.
“He told us clearly that Ramadan is not only about fasting. What is important is that we bear no ill-will against others, contain our vices, honour other people’s dignity and never become arrogant.
“Unfortunately, our current Malay leadership was not there with me then to hear ustaz Daud’s pearls of wisdom,” he remarked. – April 25, 2021.
Photo credit: Malay Mail
