Police decided to call upon DAP Socialist Youth (DAPSY) National Chairman and MP for Rasah, Loke Siew Fook, and MP for Jelutong, Jeff Ooi for investigation under Sedition Act 1948.
The police action followed immediately after Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak 's open request for the concerned authorities to probe such cases as widely reported and played up by the mainstream media.
They are not isolated incidents against the DAP only, more probably component parts of a larger Umno/BN strategic offensive, aimed at seizing the Selangor government power from the Pakatan Rakyat.
In fact Anwar had earlier sounded the alarm about the existence of such a plot, and Najib too, has not hidden his agenda to recapture a state of such paramount importance.
Najib's agenda for Selangor power seizure
The accusation against DAP, just like Anwar being labelled a traitor to his race and religion, or PAS is invited to form a Unity Government with Umno; is just part of another manoeuvre to split the PAS, DAP and PKR coalition under the pretext of Malay / Muslim unity, to take over Selangor similar to the earlier Perak government power grab.
Now let us examine more closely the alleged anti-Islam and anti-Royalty cases against DAP leaders.
In Jeff Ooi's case, he is blamed for labelling Jemaah Islah Malaysia (JIM) an extremist organization.
Although he has withdrawn his criticism following Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng's instruction, he remains under pressure to apologize for insulting Islam.
Whether or not JIM is an extremist organization is a matter of opinion.
What is important is that we must be liberal enough to respect the right to freedom of expression for every individual and organization.
It is undeniable that in a mature democracy, criticism and counter-criticism are encouraged as normal practice.
To resort to draconian laws such as the Sedition Act or the ISA to suppress freedom of expression, under whatsoever pretext, is harmful and unacceptable to the fundamental principles of democracy.
Leadership of DJZ once labelled Communists and Al'maunahs
During the 2000 Suqiu Incident, the leadership of the Dong Jio Zong (DJZ) was labelled Communists and Al'maunahs by the then Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
The DJZ leadership,forced to defend itself, adopted the democratic means of refutation and counter-criticism.
When PAS and Umno were engaged in accusing each other of infidel (kafir-mengkafirkan), the acid test was not using the Sedition Act or the ISA to suppress the weak by the strong, but by convincing their followers through implementation of activities and policies true to the tenets and teaching of Islam.
Yet the Tok Guru was not accused of insulting the Malays or Islam.
The logic is simple: Criticizing Umno is not equivalent to criticizing Malay and Islam.
Hence, criticizing JIM also is not equivalent to criticizing Islam. Therefore, even if the party concerned feels insulted, it should be confined to the party concerned.
To exaggerate that Islam in its totality has been insulted is untrue and misleading.
JIM not equivalent to Islam
Since Jeff Ooi has withdrawn his criticism, it is unbecoming on the part of the police to stir up the issue again under the Sedition Act, which can be considered as blatant suppression of the freedom of expression with the ulterior motive of political persecution.
Another case of so-called insulting Islam was the incident in which Selangor DAP State Executive Councillor Ronnie Liu was accused of interfering with the Shah Alam City Council's (MBSA) decision to confiscate beer from a convenience store. That accusation also couldn't hold water.
According to Liu, the Excise Act 1976 stipulates that there is no need for a liquor license for selling beverages with less than 8.8 percent alcohol content.
In other words, the raid and confiscation of the beer was in fact unlawful and abuse of power.
As an Exco member of Selangor State Government responsible for such matters, Liu was duty bound to advise the enforcement officials concerned to return the wrongly confiscated beverages to the owner.
It is unimaginable how Liu could be accused of insulting Islam when he essentially upheld the principle of the rule of law.
PKR man's hidden agenda
It was astonishing that Liu was not set upon by Umno/BN's members as usual, instead, he was verbally roughed up by a Pakatan Rakyat colleague, another Exco member of Selangor State Government and PAS Selangor Chief, Dr Hassan Ali.
He openly demanded that Liu be dropped from the state cabinet or his portfolio be changed for alleged interference with MBSA jurisdiction.
It was widely believed that Dr Hassan Ali could have had his own hidden agenda beyond the liquor issue.
The third case created even greater hue and cry in the mass media and in cyber space, where DAP Socialist Youth (DAPSY) National Chairman Anthony Loke Siew Fook was denounced for allegedly writing articles insulting Islam, the Perak Sultan and his son, Raja Nazrin.
Without verifying with Loke, MP Kulim, Zulkifli Noordin from PKR vehemently condemned for publishing Loke's press statement followed by comments insulting Dr Mohd Ridhuan Tee, in crude, obscene and vulgar language, tantamount to insulting Islam.
Loke admitted he had issued a press statement entitled "Ridhuan Tee Must Apologize to Teoh Beng Hock's Family" to condemn the former for issuing "cruel and heartless remarks over the issue of Teoh Beng Hock's unborn child" and "calls on Dr Mohd Ridhuan to immediately apologize to Teoh's family and to China Press and Nanyang Siang Pau".
But he denied any connection with the irresponsible owner of the web site and the related comments.
Reproduced without verification
In ROCKY'S BRU, the "original article" allegedly written by Loke was reproduced, again, without verifying if he was the author.
There ensued a wild outburst of racial curses, soon developing into a tangled warfare (over 200 comments up to now) comprising people of different background, political affiliations and motives, divided largely into pro-Umno and anti-Umno factions.
In a letter addressed to Rocky, Loke strongly denied the allegation that he had authored the article that allegedly insulted the Sultan of Perak and Raja Nazrin.
He said he had no prior knowledge of that content on that particular blog http://sjsandteam.wordpress.com/.
His one and only blog is lokesiewfook.blogspot.com
He added "I have NEVER written anything that insults the Royalty, Malays or Islam in my life. There is an effort to slander DAP Youth and myself and spread lies that we are anti-Islam and anti-Royalty.
"I do not know who is behind that blog and I have nothing to do with it. As a responsible blogger, I hope you can first verify the facts before making any assumptions. I will be lodging a police report today to deny the article and I hope you can publish my explanation to clear the air later. Thank you."
Rocky has reproduced the letter in his blog as requested, and Loke also has lodged a police report at Dang Wangi District Police Headquarter that he had never written articles to insult Islam, Sultan Perak or Raja Nazrin as alleged.
However, Police are now investigating Loke and Jeff Ooi under the Sedition Act.We hope that justice will prevail eventually.
No comments:
Post a Comment