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Truth is the greatest enemy of dictators

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We have had enough of our leaders’ hypocrisy, enough of their lies, enough of their intimidation, enough of their taqiyyah (deception), writes Abdul Rashid Hanafi.

Goebbels, Hitler’s chief propagandist, infamously proclaimed: “If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it.”

The lie can be maintained only for such time as the state (government) can shield the people from the dire consequences of the lie.

It thus becomes vitally important for the unscrupulous leaders of a state to use all of its power to repress dissent – for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth is the greatest enemy of a state led by dictators.

In order to rule, unscrupulous leaders believe you have to divide. In order to invite hate, you must make the people feel victimised. To rule ignorant people and make them side with you, you have to give them an enemy.

Nothing can make people rally around you more than a common foe. This is the oldest trick which has been adopted successffuly by all dictators throughout the history of humankind

Intelligent people do not believe blindly. They question, they think, they ponder, they scrutinise and they doubt. God gives us brain to think. If God doesn’t want us to think or question, He would not have given us a brain. He would have made us zombies.

When you censor thoughts, you are invariably helping lies to flourish. Truth does not need the heavyhand of censorship to prevail. It is only lies that need protection through the censorship of opposing thoughts.

READ MORE:  The Southeast Asian Arts Censorship Database

Therefore, it is not the people who need to be reformed. It is the leader who has to be reformed.

It is pathetic to watch how ridiculous some of our leaders are. But it is funny to watch them doing and saying what they believe to be the next logical thing, which instead turns out to be ridiculous.

We have had enough of our leaders’ hypocrisy, enough of their lies, enough of their intimidation, enough of their taqiyyah (deception) and enough of their baby-cry.

The views expressed in Aliran's media statements and the NGO statements we have endorsed reflect Aliran's official stand. Views and opinions expressed in other pieces published here do not necessarily reflect Aliran's official position.

AGENDA RAKYAT - Lima perkara utama
  1. Tegakkan maruah serta kualiti kehidupan rakyat
  2. Galakkan pembangunan saksama, lestari serta tangani krisis alam sekitar
  3. Raikan kerencaman dan keterangkuman
  4. Selamatkan demokrasi dan angkatkan keluhuran undang-undang
  5. Lawan rasuah dan kronisme
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