Mob rule or ochlocracy in Malaysia today – OMG!

What is happening in Penang is as old as the hills. Ochlocracy (Greek: okhlokratia) or mob rule is the rule of government by a mob or a mass of people, or the intimidation of legitimate authorities.

It is democracy ("rule of the people") spoiled by demagoguery, ("tyranny of the majority"), and the rule of passion over reason. There are many young as well as aging ochlocrats in Malaysia and they seem to be exclusively in the ruling party. It seems to be a fertile ground for the care and feeding of ochlocrats.

Yesterday, some 60 people including members of Penang’s Umno Youth broke through the automatic gates of Dewan Undangan Pulau Pinang (Penang State Legislative Assembly) and forced their way into the assembly chambers. They demanded that assemblyman R.S.N. Rayer apologise for his remark “Umno celaka” (Umno be damned) on Tuesday, May 20.

Twelve people were detained by the police overnight for their involvement in storming the assembly building yesterday afternoon. Today they’re back in the same area. Jasmin Noordin, Penang Umno Youth vice-chief, said the group planned a bigger protest if Seri Delima assemblyman R.S.N. Rayer refused to apologise for saying “Umno celaka”.

Why did Rayer use the epithet?

We have to appreciate the context. It was reported by Mukul Devichand of the BBC on January 18 that Malaysians had been talking and avidly joking about kangkung over the past week and that it was impossible to get away from the topic. Devichand was referring to the widespread anger of Malaysians who mocked and made fun of PM Najib Razak for attempting to use kangkung to garner praise from the rakyat.

The kangkung issue itself arose because the prime minister referred to the fact that the price of kangkung had fallen yet people did not praise the government for it.

Then a rally was organised the same day to protest against Machang Bubuk assemblyman Lee Khai Loon for his "I love kangkung" flashmob that allegedly insulted Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and which also saw several Umno grassroot leaders and Kepala Batas MP Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican making fiery speeches. At this rally, a banner was held up by protestors asking the people if they wanted a repeat of the May 13, 1969 racial riots.

Rayer accused Umno of racism, referring to that inflammatory banner that incited fear.

So Rayer was referring to the threat of rioting being “organised” along the lines of the most serious riot along racial lines which occurred on May 13, 1969.

That riot was believed to have been orchestrated by state capitalist elements in Umno, following the setback at the general elections held only two days prior, when Umno lost a sizable number of seats though holding on to an absolute majority in Parliament. The riots were blamed by the government on a variety of sponsors: the Communists, the unruly participants of an opposition rally held the previous day.

However, in the book “May 13th” by academic Dr Kua Kia Soong, veteran journalist Subky Latiff said that unknown elements in Umno had conspired to bring it about. Meanwhile Dr Kua identified a state-capitalist faction within Umno using the riots to topple the Malay aristocrats led by then PM Tunku Abdul Rahman.

The enquiry that followed did not identify the perpetrators. No one has ever been prosecuted for the May 13 riots. Not a single person.

In fact, until the elections in 2004, the spectre of the May 13 riots had been used by the ruling coalition to invoke fear and to pressure the non-Malays to keep voting for them.

This was what Rayer objected to: that the January 18, 2014 rally, which included Umno notables such as Kepala Batas MP Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican and other Umno officials, had threatened “another May 13”. The frequent use by Umno of the May 13 bogeyman lends credence to the allegation by Subky Latif and Kua that May 13 was orchestrated by Umno elements.

That is a child of Umno. If they had nothing to do with the original “May 13" then why use it repeatedly to threaten? Again and again, over the years?

Since that unsavoury violence at the Dewan Undangan, the President of Umno Youth, Khairy Jamaluddin, the Minister of Youth and Sports, has seen fit to ask for “understanding” on behalf of the gang of hooligans who forced their way into the State Assembly to confront the Speaker.

He pleads for people to excuse them on the grounds that they were extremely upset due to the remarks by assemblyman Rayer. These are similar to the mitigation pleas that a lawyer would use at the conclusion of a trial, when the accused has been found guilty. Prior to the judge passing sentence, the defence counsel submits mitigation pleas, begging the court to excuse the convicted person for this or that reason.

Khairy is doing his mitigation before any investigation by the police, before the A–G’s Chamber has even decided, based on the police findings, whether to prosecute and on what charges, before a court has heard the legal counsel for the defense etc. Why is he making a mitigation plea now?

Perhaps he wishes to shortcut due process, to tell the system (speaking as the president of Umno Youth) to “cool it, boys!”, that it is okay with the people in Putrajaya. In that case, the next inference is this: There is a possibility this may have been premeditated. There is no evidence, just as there never was any evidence found for May 13. But it is a viable conjecture, isn’t it?

* OMG! reads The Malaysian Insider.