Taliban a la Malaysia

A certain group of people in our Chinese community, while not embracing the same religion as the Taliban, carry out their operations in an unmistakable Taliban fashion.

Tay Tian Yan, Sin Chew

Now Michelle Yeoh and Eric Moo get the blasts.

All because they are going to attend the Dinner With PM in Selangor and a 1Malaysia event in Penang, earning them the names of "stooges," "traitors" and 'spies'"

Michelle Yeoh is the pride of Malaysia. No other Malaysians, Chinese Malaysians in particular, have shone this brightly on the international arena, while Eric Moo has been internationally acclaimed for his talents in musical creations and stage performances.

If any foreigner has come to the knowledge that some of the people of a country would abhor and trample with such intensity their compatriots just because of their self-centred political stand, I am afraid they will try to steer clear of this country for the sake of their own safety.

This is extremism the Taliban style, or cruelty characterising the most primitive of African tribes. But unimaginably such oddities take place right here in Malaysia, a country that has worked so hard to position itself as a mild, moderate, liberal and civilised state.

If this is what we call democracy, I cannot help but to feel sorry for this kind of democracy. If this is what we call freedom, then I'm afraid we will need to mourn the passing of real freedom.

Conducting senseless persecutions and threatening others holding dissident beliefs in the name of democracy and liberty are very much acts of dictatorial populism.

I have always been thinking that we should assess artistes based merely on their artistic talents, not ideological affinity.

In the past, we disapproved of PAS' moves to mobilise its followers to boycott the shows of Elton John and Beyoncé Knowles because of their own religious values. In a similar manner, when the government blocked the concerts of Aril Lavigne and Erykah Badu, many stood up and protested: "You don't want to see, but that doesn't mean you should stop others from seeing."

This is the fundamental respect for democracy and liberty.

While you have every right to defend your religion, you cannot stop other people from embracing theirs. You can support a political party of your choice, but you cannot assail others for their political affiliations.

You can stay away from the Dinner With PM, but you cannot stop others from attending it, or humiliate Michelle and Eric.

You choose to stay away, but that does not mean you are right or more righteous and noble. The only reason you don't attend is because you hold different political stand from other event participants.

Taliban denies education for women, so they wanted to gun down female education activist Malala Yousafzai. And because Taliban endures no other religions, they blasted the Buddha statues in Bamiyan. And also because Taliban wants to erect the most puritanistic religious society, they would exterminate anyone disagreeing with them.

A certain group of people in our Chinese community, while not embracing the same religion as the Taliban, carry out their operations in an unmistakable Taliban fashion.