The right to dissent
No one can accurately spell out what that agenda is, but what’s important, it seems, is to pin every dissatisfaction down on an external party.
Emmanuel Joseph, Malay Mail Online
To question and to argue are basic intellectual human traits. That is how society evolved to be in its current state. That is how we learn, grow and develop as a cohesive society. To disallow or suppress dissent is to deny people a basic human right. Therefore, conversely, to force people into submission, to accept an idea that they otherwise reject would be tantamount to bullying.
But Malaysian society has become somewhat immune to this sort of bullying. No statement by a person in authority, no matter how absurd, surprises us anymore. No action by the police, no matter how high-handed or biased it seems, irritates us anymore. We find far fewer outcries now than we did a decade ago.
Perhaps we have lost our moral compass? Perhaps we’re wilfully becoming ignorant. Or perhaps we are just too tired. Or perhaps there are just far too many things to cry out about that we just don’t have enough voice.
While some issues like those pertaining to religion and race could be considered sensitive in a multiracial country like ours, it should not be taken as license to turn black into white. Recently, every other thing seems to be considered sensitive in nature. The blanket usage of the 3Rs – race, religion and royalty – has been used to cover inept handling of issues and put a lid on arguments that cannot be reasoned against. For example, the Teoh Beng Hock issue was at times painted as racially-slanted, Malay versus Chinese, when it had nothing to do with that.
The same thing was done with the last two elections results. When questions were raised over the PDRM, critics of the questioners pointed at the “royal” tag, suggesting that those questioning were in fact questioning the king himself. Such reasoning is not only illogical, it is also dangerous.
What if the argument were extended to everyone who holds a royal title, or can trace some semblance of royal lineage?
The extent of religious authority as well, seems to have extended beyond their usual reach. In the past, it was unthinkable that non-Muslims be subjected to any form of supervision or authority by the Islamic authorities and Shariah courts. Recent cases seems to suggest otherwise. The Publication Control and Quranic Texts Division of the Home Ministry now not only monitors the imports of Bibles, they have also come up with SOPs on the same.
