Ali Tinju deserves more than just discipline

I was pleasantly surprised by the timely statement made by the Malaysian Armed Forces Veterans Association (PVATM) over its “invincible” member Mohd Ali Baharom, who is notoriously known as Ali Tinju.

All along, it had never occurred to me that the PVATM was unhappy with the ‘thug-like character’ who has brought down the dignity of the Malays to that as low as the gangsters on the streets. Even gangsters have their ethics, but Ali Tinju appears to be always fired-up with the smallest issue.

Not until recently when the PVATM issued a statement condemning the behaviours of Ali Tinju did I realise that this army veteran was being monitored by the PVATM executive council.

Ali Tinju is a staunch supporter of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, therefore, we did not expect anyone to touch him.

I have always wondered whether Ali Tinju was a paid ‘thug’ used by certain parties to intimidate the Chinese and other communities to ‘kowtow’ to Najib. I am not sure why, but there are occasions which seem to suggest this unfortunate ‘coincidence’ with Najib.

Contrary to attorney-general Mohamad Apandi Ali’s stand, Ali Tinju’s speeches were highly seditious and inflammatory towards the Chinese community, after two young thieves were arrested following an incident at Low Yat.

The viral video clip of Ali Tinju should be kept for future reference; in the event that there is a change of government - or change of prime minister - this man should be charged with sedition, along with those who try to protect him. This is, after all, what former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad himself had suggested.

The long arms of the law can be turned against those in power now. This is a good reason why justice and the rule of law must always be upheld by either the present government or anyone replacing it.

Ali Tinju was also there during the ‘Nothing2Hide’ seminar, trying to create some chaos that had allowed inspector-general of police Khalid Abu Bakar to advise Najib not to turn up for the event.

Although we know the true reasons behind Najib’s absence, as well as his absence during the parliamentary session, the advice had made it as though Khalid himself - and the entire police force - were unable to handle this one man.

I wondered, too, if Ali Tinju had set up the veterans association himself just to carry out his personal agenda, for which he could have been paid handsomely.

Speak up, or evil will triumph

The fact that the PVATM has finally spoken up is indeed timely. We now know that Ali Tinju is just an ordinary member of the organisation. He was trying to appear as if the veteran army men - who had defended this country against the invasion of Communists and Sulu invaders - were all solidly behind him.

It also gave some of us the impression that our veterans are racists - like this one man who had represented them. The PVATM cannot blame the public for having such a perception, because all these years it chose to remain silent.

When such a person can use inflammatory speeches and get away with the authorities, it seemed as if Najib himself has truly lost control. It appeared as though, when the social fabrics of this country were being destroyed, he was still playing the fiddle.

To the Chinese, Najib’s '1Malaysia' slogan during the last general election was nothing but hypocritical. On one hand, he talked about being one country and one people; on the other hand, there were those who were using seditious words which drove some of us up the wall.

When Ali Tinju turned up at former Bersih steering committee co-chairperson Ambiga Sreenevasan’s home and performed the 'butt dance', we could not help but in retrospect laugh, when we thought of it as a bunch of ostriches performing a street dance for the rest of the world to see.

Nothing has brought the Malay dignity so low as these army veterans. However, from the PVATM’s statement, it is now clear that this man had only served in the Royal Malay Regiment for a short stint, compared to those who had served all their lives with the army.

What is more interesting is that he was not even an active member! How then could he be representing the veterans in the first place? It is obnoxious to think that he was even a key public figure in PVATM.

We all know now that Ali Tinju had established the Federal Territory and Selangor Malay Army Veterans Association, which was subsequently deregistered by the Registrar of Societies (ROS) on April 1, 2014. I wonder if this was an April Fool's joke?

But, for anyone to think that such a man would comply with the rules and regulations of the ROS would probably be the biggest joke on April Fool’s Day. Over the years since 2008, we have seen one clown after another appearing and talking nonsense, claiming that they are the defenders of the BN government.

In my opinion, they are riling up the voters’ sentiments against the coalition. From Perkasa’s Ibrahim Ali and Zulkifli Noordin to Ikatan Muslimin Malaysia (Isma), ‘red shirt’ movement leaders Jamal Md Yunos and Ali Tinju, it appeared to most of us that BN has to depend on clowns who lack the talents to debate on important issues.

I could not help but keep asking why BN would not shut out some of these ‘rascally provocateurs’ despite people linking them directly with Umno. Umno, and especially Najib, cannot blame the people for getting such an impression, too.

It is no wonder that BN and Umno have often been getting brickbats. It is time now for the politicians to go to their drawing boards to think of better strategies.

Otherwise, they should do what PVATM has done: warn these clowns from further damaging their reputation, or face the music. As Edmund Burke had once said, “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."

These jokers like Ali Tinju deserve more than mere disciplinary actions. When there is finally a change at Putrajaya, make sure that whatever this man has sown, he shall reap the outcome. Justice must be seen done.

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STEPHEN NG is an ordinary citizen with an avid interest in following political developments in the country since 2008. -Mkini