Bonkers to bedlam: a Malaysian journey – Gopal

Just last week, news leaked that the prospective CEO of Malaysia Airlines Christoph Muller had indicated that one of the measures he proposes to undertake is the changing of the code that Malaysia Airlines flies under. “MH,” he is reported to have said, “is associated with [flights] 370 and 17.“ 

Herr Muller may have just arrived in this country, but he has a laser-like knack of hitting his target. This change in code should not apply to our airline alone, but the country as a whole. I propose changing our country code from MAS to BED. Here is why, and we begin by examining events from just this last week or so.

First off, we have had legislation passed in a Malaysian state assembly, without a single voice in opposition, that legalises crucifixion (a word that I had never thought to spell and had to look up in the dictionary), stoning and amputation. Lashing of between 40 and 80 strokes is the least of the measures that were approved.

The proud ambition of PAS is to have this state legislation become the law of the land, a law that governs all Malaysians. The next step in that direction that they have taken is the introduction of a private members’ bill in Parliament to have national legislation amended to allow them and then every other state to enforce similar legislation as the law as the land.

This is where the politics begins its ruptured journey: on the one hand while some Umno members whose party invited this legislation are calling it “insane” and “impossible”, there are others who say that it is cannot be opposed, being God’s word. On the other side of the aisle, more chaos awaits. 

PKR has said that it will not support hudud, but remains silent on the critical question of whether they will oppose it. Silence in Parliament is, of course, agreement without responsibility, so this position leaves little to arm one’s crutch.

The only clear political direction has come from DAP, who being staunchly secular has said it will oppose hudud. But in a vexed statement yesterday, it too reached for the political white straitjacket by saying that it would remain in the pact but would not “be friends” with the president of PAS. Bonkers, I say.

With three who have flown over the cuckoo’s nest, one would think that Malaysia would have done its best. Sadly, there is more to come.

The social front leaves us no less sane. There are Muslims and non-Muslims who have spoken both in favour of and against the introduction of hudud in Malaysia. The non-Muslims have been barracked with the old chestnut: as you are not a Muslim, you are not entitled to say a word.  Stay out. 

As an argument, this is lazy. It is akin to saying none of us can question a doctor who prescribes medicine for us. We are not doctors, so even if he prescribes cyanide we must take it.

More simply put, many of us have not been to Alaska, but by God we know it is cold there.

We then turn to those who enforce the law. If anything, this last week has taught us that we are fast approaching a stage where legislation will have to be passed to cut the tongues out of those politicians and activists who speak. It must surely come to pass, because the number of arrests that continue to happen make it sooner rather than later, that we will not have a single space available in our jails, not for convicted criminals but those on remand. 

This addled approach unfortunately does not only affect politicians and activists. In a trend that has become peculiarly Malaysian, we look to punish those that are brave enough to speak. The fact that Aisyah Tajuddin is the focus of an investigation and not treated with the compassion that is deserved of a victim betrays yet another symptom.  When she has been seen and published marching in to an inquiry by police and the narrative is focused on her alleged wrong, no vacant assurance that those who threatened her will see justice will ever cut ice. 

Last night, however, cemented our place in this new country code BED.  It is the statement by the inspector-general of police that if we say anything about hudud, Isis may attack us. Be careful, we are told. We all remember Je Suis Charlie. Despite the atrocity of those attacks, what it meant was that we would never be intimidated, we would never forsake our way of life to those that would threaten us.

Well, for all Malaysians, you can say ballyhoo to that. Our head of police has told us to do the opposite. Be afraid, be very afraid, he says.

Which brings me to the end, really. BED? It is short for bedlam, the hospital of the 17th century in England for insane patients, where chaos reigned.

Sound familiar? It does to me, so hand me the straitjacket so I can put it on with no help from anyone, thanks.

* Gopal reads The Malaysian Insider.