In Malaysia, we have grown accustomed to a peculiar form of social classification. When one class of citizens is accorded priority and privileges under the New Economic Policy (NEP), it is largely accepted as a necessary intervention - an affirmative policy - even if foreign media have branded it “institutionalised discrimination”.
Yet, when this stratification extends to the enforcement of our laws, the conversation shifts. We are told the system is not flawed, but merely functioning as intended.
There is a critical distinction worth examining: a flawed system can be repaired, but a failed system spreads its own injustices until they become the norm.
We have arrived at the latter. Today, we witness a nation where one group can violate the law - even taunt those empowered to enforce - while another is identified, arrested, charged, and sentenced within days.
This is not inconsistent enforcement; it is selective prosecution dressed in the language of order.
Against this backdrop, official assurances of “taking action” ring hollow. Our enforcement authorities, whether constrained by political expediency or institutional inertia, appear paralysed when confronting the privileged class.
Any suggestion of double standards is met with reflexive declarations that “no one is above the law” - a mantra repeated so often it has lost all meaning.
The nation watches, less in awe than in anger, as some break the law with impunity while others face its full weight. The authorities' subdued response to these transgressions has cemented a public perception that justice in Malaysia is not blind - in some cases, it merely looks the other way.
While lawmakers are pushing for the authorities to take action against an “activist” over the desecration of a Hindu symbol, he seems to be enjoying immunity as if he was the special one.
Some leaders speak out but…
DAP politicians have been in the forefront pressuring for action to prevent threats to social harmony and the nation’s stability as racial tensions flare.
DAP chairperson Gobind Singh Deo urged Inspector-General of Police Khalid Ismail to take immediate action against Tamim Dahri Abdul Razak, accused of desecrating a Hindu symbol at the Langkawi Shree Muniswarar Alayam temple.
Tamim brazenly filmed himself and released the video publicly, later insisting that he believed the object he stepped on was “a rusty piece of metal in an unoccupied land clearing,” and not “a place of worship”.
The clip has since triggered highly provocative, emotive, and incendiary reactions across social media, further inflaming tensions.
This is not an isolated case. A handful of others, including two Muslim converts and self-proclaimed preachers, Zamri Vinoth and Firdaus Wong, have in the past escaped citation for similar activities or provocative posts.
When a temple in Rawang was demolished two weeks ago, Gobind, in a statement, said: “I have raised this matter in the cabinet on numerous occasions.
“However, the final authority to prosecute rests with the attorney-general (AG). He must explain why there has been such a slow response thus far and what he intends to do to change the growing perception of inaction.”
Yesterday, Gobind issued another reminder: The authorities need to take swift action against those who disrespect the “soolam” (trident) as the police did in a recent case involving the prosecution of an individual accused of stepping on the Quran.
‘Unwilling to prosecute’
But here is the bitter truth: Zamri and Wong, who were previously reported to have insulted religion, but not prosecuted because the police classified their cases as “no further action”.
Appearing on behalf of the AG, deputy public prosecutor Ainul Amirah said the Attorney-General’s Chambers was unwilling to prosecute the duo as police had classified their cases as NFA.
The important question is: why is there inaction on the part of the police, despite hundreds of reports lodged against Zamri?
This has led to speculation that he and the others enjoy special privileges or have a patron who ensures that the long arm of the law does not reach them.
Most believe such a perception is true because Zamri has been belittling other religions, especially Hinduism, continually over the years, and has escaped scrutiny.
Yesterday, Wong dropped the name of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s wife on social media. He wrote: “I was also surprised when Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail mentioned my name during her inaugural speech.
“Azman Abidin, political secretary to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, invited me to attend the Bandar Tun Razak parliamentary Iftar Jamaie event with Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia at the Azzubair Ibnul Awwam Mosque.
“Before Wan Azizah left, she called me over and said: “Keep up your work.”
Firdaus thanked her for those words of encouragement, adding, “They mean a great deal to me.”
The recent parade of provocations exposes a rot that runs deeper than isolated instances of bigotry.
When Wong - a figure with a documented history of controversial religious posts - can publicly name-drop the prime minister’s wife as his source of encouragement, the message to the nation is unmistakable: proximity to power confers immunity.
A failed system
This is the defining characteristic of a failed system. While Gobind rightly demands swift action against Tamim for desecrating a Hindu symbol, the authorities remain conspicuously unmotivated when confronting Zamri - despite hundreds of police reports lodged against him over the years of religious belittling.
The question writes itself: What explains the paralysis in one case and the quickness in another?
We are told no one is above the law. But when preachers drop political names as shields, when activists film their own desecrations without consequence, and when hundreds of reports vanish into bureaucratic oblivion while others face prosecution within days - the mantra becomes mockery.
The authorities cannot posture as defenders of social harmony while allowing serial provocateurs to operate under political patronage. They cannot claim to be blind defenders of justice while selectively closing one eye.
Malaysians are not fools. We see the double standards. We hear the name-dropping. We watch as some are elevated above the law while others are crushed beneath it.
And to those who believe their political connections render them untouchable - remember that in a nation watching more in anger than in awe, public patience is not unlimited.
Justice delayed may be justice denied, but public memory is eternal.
The question now is not whether the system is flawed or failed. The question is whether those who benefit from its failures will ever be held accountable - or whether in Malaysia, the name you drop matters more than the law you break. - Mkini
R NADESWARAN is an award-winning journalist whose journalistic career has spanned more than five decades. Comments: citizen.nades22@gmail.com.
The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of MMKtT.
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