Don’t they have better things to do or say?
Posted on February 19, 2012, Sunday
OVER the past week, we had witnessed two occurrences verging on the bizarre.
First, it was PAS’ on-going crusade against Valentine’s Day. The opposition party has been associating the occasion with roses, candlelight dinners, love and sex.
Its Youth chief Nasrudin Hassan said while non-Muslims could celebrate Valentine’s Day, Muslims were barred because it could lead to immoral activities such as khalwat (close proximity) and zina (illicit sex).
Moreover, he pointed out, Valentine’s Day is not celebrated by Muslims as it’s not a Muslim activity.
Equating morale policing against Muslims on this day with taking pre-emptive measures, he said it was not only zina that is wrong but also berdua-duaan (going out as a couple).
He took pains to explain that berdua-duaan is the mukadimah (prelude) to zina, saying that’s is why a dating couple must be babysat by a mahram (close relative) to prevent them from falling into syaitan’s (devil’s) temptation to commit immoral acts.
The PAS Youth chief is, of course, entited to his opinion – as odd as it may sound – but the vast majority of fair-minded Malaysians do not subscribe to notion that the Valentine’s Day is the cause of immorality since good or bad behaviour depends on how one is brought up.
Depraved activities and crimes do not happen only on Valentine’s Day – they can happen anytime and any day. And that singularly explains the raison de’tre for the existence of the police.
Valentine’s Day is universally accepted and celebrated to convey affection for friends and loved ones. It’s nothing more than just a celebration because that’s what it is.
Next, how do you like to be called a prostitute or rather, call someone a prostitute? Why not ask Nasrudin’s comrade-in-arms, DAP election publicity chief Hew Kuan Yau. The self-proclaimed ‘Superman’ of politics was up to his crude antics again when he referred to journalists as prostitutes.
During the Sarawak election, he called SUPP politicians orang utan and actually thought it was funny.
This time around, in a Facebook posting, he claimed: “Our society had recently slammed some teenagers for not having self-respect by prostituting themselves for their material needs. Have we ever thought there are reporters who have no self-respect and ‘prostitute’ themselves to Barisan Nasional for the same reason?”
Bafflingly, what great harm have reporters done him that he should so brazenly insult them?
According to news reports, Hew seemed upset that some reporters from so-called smaller towns attended luncheons from both DAP and MCA. But isn’t it normal for reporters to cover both government and opposition functions?
Also, when Hew’s remarks became public, a peninsular newspaper asked DAP disciplinary committee chairman Tan Kok Wai for his comments and to no one’s surprise, he absolved his controversial fellow party member of all blame, claiming he was “merely being truthful.” Seriously, offensive and hurtful would be heaps nearer the truth.
The National Union of Journalists (NUJ), horrified by Tan’s remark that Hew “was stating a fact”, said the latter’s sweeping statement had tarnished the image of journalists.
“This is unfair as he has cast aspersions on journalists. We demand that the stand taken by the DAP leadership be supported with evidence. Anything short of this is baseless and unfounded allegations against journalists and the profession,” NUJ secretary general V Anbalagan stressed.
Hew later apologised on his Facebook but angered even more people when he said he had caused a controversy by telling the truth in what sounded more like an innuendo than an apology.
One irate member of the public asked: “Is this the kind of person who should be given support and elected to high office?”
Undeniably, some politicians are not happy when the truth is reported about them. That’s why we often see politicians trying to wriggle out of a sticky situation they put themselves into by saying the press have misquoted them. In truth, they are merely shifting the blame and not owning up.
Hew, known for calling himself Superman by wearing his trademark Superman T-shirt, and for making crass remarks at ceramahs, has chosen to find fault with reporters for covering functions from both sides of the political divide.
Should the journalistic faternity take his insult laying down or do something about it? While the choice appears pretty obvious, it’s not necessary to bring out any green kryptonite.
The sharp rebuke from a high-ranking member of PR to which the DAP election publicity chief belongs, should suffice.
Responding to Hew’s uncalled for remark about reporters, PAS vice-president Salahuddin Ayub had said politicians must realise their personal views were often taken to reflect those of their party.
“For a seasoned politician, this is basic knowledge. If you hold an important post in the party, it is that you be careful what you say,” he added.
The PAS veep’s intended message is unmistakable – that Hew was way out of line when he likened reporters to prostitutes.
