The current Najib administration, so they say, is aiming to ‘transform’ this ol’ country of ours.
One of the ways they are doing this – so, again, they say – is to relook, amend and, possibly, repeal some of the laws of the land deemed unproductive, undemocratic and, possibly, unconstitutional.
Of course, we really must remember that, in the first place, most of these laws were enacted by the same jokers, ehhh political parties, which make up the present administration.
But let’s leave that aside for another day, another discussion Today, let’s look at this ‘transformation’ thingy, just one of quite a number of ‘thingies’ dreamt up by this administration, the most overused being 1Malaysia.
I don’t know about you, but for me ‘transformation’ has rather positive connotations. It implies changing for the better, bringing things up to speed, pulling us up to come near to matching international standards.
That’s what they said when promising us that the Internal Security Act (ISA) would be repealed. Then it transpires that this act that was going to be repealed, instead, would be replaced by two new laws which, together, are effectively more stringent than the original ISA.
Now, at best, that sounds like a terribly unfunny joke they are playing on us. At worse, it’s a silly attempt at pulling the wool over our eyes, hoping that the rakyat is incapable of putting two and two together.
Sure, our education system may no longer be as good as it was, but I don’t think we – or even those mythical Malaysians in the kampung – are that dumb, do you?
Nonetheless, be prepared for the ISA to be ‘transformed’ into a two-headed monster.
Next, there has been – and there continues to be – talk about ‘amending’ the Universities and University Colleges Act (UUCA).
All this talk took place even before late October this year, when the Appeal Court decided for the four UKM students who had been charged under the Act. The same court indeed ruled by a majority 2-1 verdict that section 15 (5) of the UUCA is unconstitutional.
Yet, despite all this talk about amending the UUCA to make it more progressive, it is indeed puzzling that, at the same time, the government is planning to appeal the court’s decision. Why do so if the wider intention is to amend the act, to make it more flexible?
Equally puzzling in this regard is the fact that, just last Wednesday, I attended a public forum on the UUCA organised by web news portal, Malaysian Digest.
It was held in a public café in Kuala Lumpur, with the speakers being the PAS MP for Kuala Selangor, Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad and the Deputy Minister of Higher Education, Saifuddin Abdullah. Nobody harassed us and people were free to come and go and also offer their comments.
Then, a couple of days later, on Friday night, a similar discussion on the UUCA, this time organised by students and held in Malaysia’s premier university, Universiti Malaya, was apparently interrupted by UM’s security officers who then forced the debate to end prematurely, allegedly after acting on orders from UM’s deputy vice chancellor of student affairs.
Puzzling indeed that these two separate fora, discussing the same issue, should end quite differently. Evidently a case of cakap tak serupa bikin (not walking the talk).
Indeed, it would appear that attempts at achieving ‘international standards’ are being met with officials hell bent on making us remain juara kampung (village champions). Possibly even the laughing stock of the civilised world.
There was all this discussion, for instance, about designing an assembly law to do just that – to meet international standards.
So, certainly with undue haste, and despite the objections of not only civil society, but also many, many members of the Malaysian Bar, the Peaceful Assembly Bill was passed by Parliament a couple of weeks ago, on Tuesday, 29 November.
The alternative bill, drawn up by the Bar Council and handed to Parliament that same afternoon, was virtually ignored by the administration.
And now, even before the Bill becomes law through receiving the assent of the upper house and that of the Agong, overzealous lackeys are pushing ahead with really stupid decisions.
For instance, one major mall in KL (the KLCC) just recently served notice, via Facebook of all places, that they would seek an injunction against any yellow-clad flashmob peacefully protesting against the Peaceful Assembly Bill at KLCC.
Of course, the flashmob of mainly young, educated adults, concerned about the deterioration of our fundamental rights, didn’t take notice and gathered at KLCC yesterday, ‘conforming to the norms of shopping, dining and leisure-related activities’.
But surely the ruling that takes the cake for insensitivity and idiocy must be the recent ordering of Christmas carolers to provide the police with details of names and contacts of home owners who the churches’ carolling groups will visit.
For crying out loud, can the minister in charge, who happens to be the prime minister’s cousin, put a stop to all this nonsense?
If he doesn’t, does this mean that, come next Raya eve, before Muslim kids (and adults) go around their neighbourhoods and read the takbir, they will need to provide names and addresses beforehand?
What are we becoming when truly peaceful assemblies now require all these, let’s face it, terribly idiotic rules (and laws) to abide by?
In no way do these laws come anywhere near to meeting international standards. Not by any stretch of the imagination.
Unless, of course, by ‘international standards’, these politicians mean the standards set by the likes of North Korea, Somalia and, their old favourite, Zimbabwe.