
The people’s power shall prevail when the day comes, remarked W H Cheng.
Ever since the 2013 general elections, the Barisan Nasional (BN) regime has not won handsomely but with a very low margin with more support moving towards the opposition parties. The reasons are very clear: corruption, power abuse, mismanagement, racism and religious extremism.
The BN regime has continue to refuse acknowledgment of its shortcomings despite its electoral setbacks, but instead continue to introduced many tough laws in order to curb the rising influence of the opposition parties, human rights NGOs, civil society groups and the people’s criticism against the regime.
Opposition leaders, civil societies leaders, human rights activists, intellectuals, educationists, critics, social media users and ordinary people have been charged, fined or imprisoned for allegedly being seditious and insulting in opposing the BN regime.
Now, when it comes to charging the person for his seditious statements, words, articles, action and manner, what kind of reference does this regime resort to in order to label such and such person as being seditious, insulting, rude – or whatever comes to their mind – towards them?
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The regime had enhanced several laws and introduced some new ones e.g. Sedition Act, several sections in the Penal Code, the Communications and Multimedia Act, Sosma, and Prevention of Terrorism Act. The words craved in these laws are too general and they do not really specify or list down the types or kinds of actions which are considered seditious, insulting, defamatory to the BN and its regime’s leaders or officials.
The definitions of what words, statements, writings or speeches are considered “harmful” to the BN were simply left to the various authorities to decide in accordance with their likes, mood or even emotion.
So, in this case, criticism can become seditious; criticism or comments could also be considered as an insult to a leader or even to a “general” of a security force. Some writings which are scientifically researched and expounded may also now be considered harmful, as an insult to the royal institution and so on.
Even the mere asking of certain questions may now be considered to be seditious and insulting towards a government leader, a senior official or some institution of theirs.
Well, if you report corruption or mismanagement of funds in a government entity today, you could also be charged in court. This is monstrously senseless.
What kind of definition do these people in the BN regime need to justify their crackdown on humanity, our rights and generally freedom of speech? They appear to be simply misusing the laws to crack down on public dissent but are perceived to be “letting off” real crimes.
The BN regime also appears to be selective in their persecution. Whatever insults, seditious statements, words and actions, threats and terrors demonstrated by those from the pro-BN camp were left untouched, whereas those from the opposition, civil society groups, human rights NGOs and individuals who are critical of the regime are immediately hauled up, charged, fined or imprisoned for just a simple criticism or a “hard” word to remind this regime to stop their wrongdoings.
Remember, Justice may be blind but it can still be seen in the dark. People’s power shall prevail when the day comes.
Source: g-socialaffairs.blogspot.my
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